Decoding emotional responses to AI-generated architectural imagery.

Introduction: The integration of AI in architectural design represents a significant shift toward creating emotionally resonant spaces. This research investigates AI's ability to evoke specific emotional responses through architectural imagery and examines the impact of professional training on emotional interpretation. Methods: We utilized Midjourney AI software to generate images based on direct and metaphorical prompts across two architectural settings: home interiors and museum exteriors. A survey was designed to capture participants' emotional responses to these images, employing a scale that rated their immediate emotional reaction. The study involved 789 university students, categorized into architecture majors (Group A) and non-architecture majors (Group B), to explore differences in emotional perception attributable to educational background. Results: Findings revealed that AI is particularly effective in depicting joy, especially in interior settings. However, it struggles to accurately convey negative emotions, indicating a gap in AI's emotional range. Architecture students exhibited a greater sensitivity to emotional nuances in the images compared to non-architecture students, suggesting that architectural training enhances emotional discernment. Notably, the study observed minimal differences in the perception of emotions between direct and metaphorical prompts among architecture students, indicating a consistent emotional interpretation across prompt types. Conclusion: AI holds significant promise in creating spaces that resonate on an emotional level, particularly in conveying positive emotions like joy. The study contributes to the understanding of AI's role in architectural design, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence in creating spaces that reflect human experiences. Future research should focus on expanding AI's emotional range and further exploring the impact of architectural training on emotional perception.