A Portrait of Emotion: Empowering Self-Expression through AI-Generated Art
This work addresses how AI can support self-expression and creativity, with potential applications in mental health and therapy, though it appears incremental in scope.
The study examined generative AI's ability to reflect human cognitive processes in art, finding that images based on emotional descriptions were preferred over those based on events, and that overrepresentation of elements harmed AI alignment.
We investigated the potential and limitations of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in reflecting the authors' cognitive processes through creative expression. The focus is on the AI-generated artwork's ability to understand human intent (alignment) and visually represent emotions based on criteria such as creativity, aesthetic, novelty, amusement, and depth. Results show a preference for images based on the descriptions of the authors' emotions over the main events. We also found that images that overrepresent specific elements or stereotypes negatively impact AI alignment. Our findings suggest that AI could facilitate creativity and the self-expression of emotions. Our research framework with generative AIs can help design AI-based interventions in related fields (e.g., mental health education, therapy, and counseling).