ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE FORMATION OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE OF FUTURE DESIGNERS: THE DIDACTIC ASPECT OF THE CREATIVE ECONOMY

Abstract

The subject of this study is the didactic potential of artificial intelligence in the formation of cultural competence among future designers in the context of the creative economy. The article considers cultural competence as an integral professional quality that combines cultural awareness, visual sensitivity, critical interpretation of cultural codes, intercultural communication, ethical responsibility, and the ability to transform cultural experience into design solutions. The aim of the study is to provide a theoretical substantiation of artificial intelligence as a didactic mediator between cultural experience, reflective analysis, and creative design practice. The research methodology is based on an interdisciplinary approach that integrates competence-based education, cultural studies, design pedagogy, digital didactics, concepts of AI literacy, and the theory of creative industries. The study employs theoretical analysis, synthesis, comparison, and pedagogical modelling to clarify the role of artificial intelligence tools in educational practices related to cultural observation, visual research, concept development, and project-based learning. The findings demonstrate that artificial intelligence can help students structure cultural impressions, identify semantic connections, compare visual systems, generate design references, and reflectively comprehend the cultural meanings of creative products. At the same time, artificial intelligence cannot replace personal experience of cultural immersion, the pedagogical role of the teacher, or the student’s authorial position. The conclusions emphasise that the effective integration of AI into design education requires a human-centred pedagogical model, ethical regulation, critical evaluation of algorithmic outputs, and the development of AI literacy. Such an approach contributes to the preparation of future designers capable of creating culturally meaningful, innovative, and socially responsible products in the creative economy.