Mallory Jablonski Spends Summer Studying AI’s Impact on Creatives

Mallory Jablonski and Evelyn-Davis Walker were among six student-faculty teams selected for the 2025 Blazer Summer Research Institute at Valdosta State University. They spent the summer investigating the role artificial intelligence plays in the creative process.

VALDOSTA — Mallory Jablonski of Gainesville, Florida, devoted her summer semester at Valdosta State University to investigating the role artificial intelligence plays in the creative process.

As a student in VSU’s Department of Art and Design, she does not believe AI can meet an individual’s or a company’s full creative demands as the technology lacks the unique qualities that define human creativity.

“This is important to me because, as a designer, I appreciate the element of human interaction, intent, and emotion that go into making meaningful art,” she said. “AI-generated content commonly lacks the complexity, originality, and meaning that human artists provide.”

In a world that is quick to use AI in nearly every aspect of life, Jablonski hopes her research will “advocate for the preservation of artistic authorship.”

Jablonski’s “The Unreliable Resource: Is AI the Artist or an Artistic Tool?” is one of six projects selected for VSU’s 2025 Blazer Summer Research Institute. She received a $1,000 scholarship plus compensation for any expenditures related to her research.

The Blazer Summer Research Institute is a highly competitive program for motivated faculty and undergraduate students who are ready to explore exciting, hands-on research. Funded by the Division of Academic Affairs, University Advancement, and private donors, the special summer initiative offers a unique experience focused on real-world, potentially life-impacting, research projects.

“This experience has taught me a range of soft skills, like adaptability, patience, communication, and many more,” Jablonski said. “I've had my expectations for my results shift several times, which requires patience and forces me to adjust to quick thinking on how to explain what I generate with other researchers who are not artists.”

Jablonski anticipates earning a Bachelor of Arts in Art, with a focus in graphic design, in May 2026. She said it excites her to know that the university invests so much time and resources into helping students expand their learning opportunities through research.  

Evelyn Davis-Walker, associate professor of graphic design in VSU’s Department of Art and Design and Jablonki’s Blazer Summer Research Institute faculty mentor, described undergraduate research as an important part of the academic experience for students because “it unlocks a dimension of inquiry that goes beyond the classroom.”

“While I may have more experience in conducting this level of inquiry, I truly value our collaborative relationship. We don’t approach the research as we would a class assignment, with class meetings a few days a week for a few hours. We connect and correspond at all hours of the day with different levels of momentum.”

Davis-Walker said that participating in the Blazer Summer Research Institute gives students like Jablonski the tools to become lifelong learners and true problem solvers.