Agentic Perspectives on Human-AI Collaboration for Image Generation and Creative Writing: Insights from Think-Aloud Protocols

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) into creative domains has reshaped how individuals approach artistic tasks, raising critical questions about human agency in AI-assisted creation. This qualitative study explored how individuals experience and negotiate creative agency during co-creative tasks with AI, focusing on image generation and writing. Using think-aloud protocols and post-task semi-structured interviews, we conducted a thematic analysis to identify four central dimensions of agency: creative self-efficacy, control over creative action, autonomy in the creative process, and ownership of the creative product.Findings reveal that agency in human-AI co-creation is dynamic and fluctuates across different stages of the creative process. Participants employed adaptive strategies—such as progressive refinement, selective appropriation, and counter-inspiration—to regain or reinforce agency when navigating unpredictable AI outputs. However, moments of diminished control and uncertainty about ownership were common, particularly when AI contributions deviated from user expectations. To contextualize these experiences, the Co-Creative Framework for Interaction Design (CoFI) was applied, highlighting how tool affordances—such as interaction styles and feedback mechanisms—shaped participants' sense of agency.These findings have broader implications for the design of future AI systems. Specifically, adaptable AI tools that support varying degrees of control over creative action, creative self-efficacy, autonomy in the creative process, and ownership of the creative product across creative stages are crucial.