Photoshop vs. AI: Complementary Tools or Competition in the Creative Process?

International Scientific Multidisciplinary Conference: AI for a Smarter Tomorrow

Krunoslav Bedi - School of Building and Crafts, Športska ulica 1, 40000 Čakovec, Croatia ORCID

Suzana Stojakovic - Celustka ORCID

Abstract:

In an era where artificial intelligence is entering every corner of creative expression, classic tools like Photoshop are facing new challenges. This paper explores the perceptions of 24 high school students, divided into web designers and media technicians, about the use of Photoshop and generative AI tools in the creative process. The results show that AI encourages rapid innovation and creative freedom, while Photoshop enables precise control and professional execution. Students recognize the synergy of the tools, but also their limitations, which opens up space for redefining the creative process in the digital age. The paper provides insight into the technical and artistic aspects and lays the foundation for a discussion about the future of creativity in education and professional design.
A survey with a Likert scale (1–5) was used to measure students’ perceptions of: control over details, creativity, speed and efficiency, complementarity and competition of tools, motivation and satisfaction.
To better understand the differences between the two groups of students — web designers and media technicians —their responses were analyzed using various statistical methods. The results of quantitative and qualitative analysis are presented in this paper.

International Scientific Multidisciplinary Conference: AI for a Smarter Tomorrow - AI-SMART , September 25-26, 2025

Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission.

Suggested Citation

Bedi, K., & Stojakovic - Celustka, S. (2025). Photoshop vs. AI: Complementary Tools or Competition in the Creative Process?. (pp. 229-235). https://doi.org/10.31410/AI.SMART.2025.229

Connect with us

Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans – UdEkoM Balkan
Dzona Kenedija 13/2, 11070 Belgrade, Serbia

https://www.udekom.org.rs

Udekom Balkans is a dynamic non-governmental and non-profit organization, established in 2014 with a mission to foster the growth of scientific knowledge within the Balkan region and beyond. Our primary objectives include advancing the fields of management and economics, as well as providing educational resources to our members and the wider public.

Who We Are: Our members include esteemed university professors from various scientific disciplines, postgraduate students, and experts from ministries, public administrations, private and public enterprises, multinational corporations, associations, and similar organizations.

Building Bridges Together: Over the course of ten years since our establishment, the Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans has established impactful partnerships with more than 1,000 diverse institutions across the Balkans region and worldwide.

Stay up-to-date with our latest achievements, events, and insights by subscribing to our newsletter       

We don’t spam. Read our privacy policy for more information.

AI-SMART conference publications are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.