AI-REFERENCES AS A TOOL FOR FORMING VISUAL STYLE IN DIGITAL DESIGN

Abstract

The article explores the phenomenon of using artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for creating visual references in the digital design process. It analyzes how generative neural networks (such as Midjourney, DALL·E, and Stable Diffusion) influence the formation of visual style, compositional decisions, and stages of conceptual development. Special attention is given to the role of AI-generated references in transforming designers’ creative thinking and their potential when combined with traditional methods of visual research. The study also addresses aesthetic and ethical aspects of using AI in creative practices, including issues of authorship, originality, and artistic responsibility. The findings suggest that AI references are not only a technical aid but also a new means of shaping the visual language of digital design, opening perspectives for rethinking the relationship between human creativity and technology. Research objective. To determine the role and significance of AI references in the process of forming a visual style in digital design, to analyze their impact on the stages of conceptual search, and to outline the aesthetic and ethical aspects of using artificial intelligence in the creative practice of a designer. Research methodology. The study uses a system-analytical approach that combines theoretical analysis of scientific sources with a visual comparative analysis of traditional and AI-generated references. The methods of content analysis, observation and interpretation, as well as elements of practical modeling of the design process with the involvement of generative neural networks (Midjourney, DALL·E, Stable Diffusion), were used. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the concept of AI reference as a separate category in the visual culture of digital design is systematically considered. Its functions in the formation of stylistic unity, compositional construction and development of the designer's author's handwriting are determined. The impact of generative systems on changing approaches to visual thinking, creative search and pedagogical practice in the field of design is substantiated. Conclusions. The use of AI-references in digital design opens up new opportunities for creative search, accelerates the stages of idea development and contributes to the formation of an individual style. At the same time, their use requires awareness of ethical and authorial issues that arise in connection with automated image generation. Artificial intelligence becomes not only a technical tool, but also a co-creator, influencing the formation of a new visual language and expanding the boundaries of artistic experimentation in the field of digital design.