Emotional Engagement with AI-generated vs Traditional Art

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the art world has sparked ongoing discussions about creativity, emotional connections, and aesthetic experiences. This study investigates how audiences of different age groups perceive and emotionally engage with AI-generated art compared to traditional art, exploring whether AI-generated art can establish genuine emotional connections with viewers. The results show that viewers generally prefer traditional art due to its emotional richness, credibility, and deeper resonance with the audience. However, when participants were unaware of whether the artwork was created by AI, AI-generated artworks also gained more preference in certain contexts. Additionally, this paper explores the implications of these findings for future interactions between humans and AI-generated art, revealing the complexities and opportunities presented by AI as a collaborative force in the creative process.