While the adoption of AI-based design tools is accelerating in design education, limited research has examined learners’ psychological acceptance of these tools. This study therefore investigates perceptions of CLO 3D, Stable diffusion, and ChatGPT through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Survey data were collected from 70 design majors at a university in Seoul and analyzed using regression methods, focusing on four key variables: perceived learning difficulty, efficiency, visual satisfaction, and commercialization potential. The results revealed paradoxical patterns in learning experience, where higher learning intention and perceived intuitiveness sometimes increased learning burden, while efficiency and output similarity reduced it. Efficiency perceptions were strengthened by learning intention, CLO 3D output similarity, and ChatGPT’s visualization support, but weakened when learners relied heavily on traditional creativity or when Stable diffusion’s creativity reflection was emphasized. Visual satisfaction was positively influenced by portfolio development and practical application intentions yet decreased when judged strictly by conventional creativity standards. Commercialization potential increased with efficiency, time savings, ChatGPT utilization, and application planning, but declined with greater familiarity with hand sketching. These findings validate TAM’s dimensions of usefulness and ease of use while highlighting the moderating role of comparison with traditional workflows. The study contributes theoretically by extending TAM to creative education contexts and provides practical guidance for developing instructional strategies that balance efficiency, creativity, and professional applicability.

This study proposes a real-time content design pipeline optimized for Unreal Engine, integrating generative AI-based image creation with AI-assisted 3D modeling tools. The pipeline aims to streamline the production of high-quality assets for real-time applications, including games and simulations. Two types of subjects were selected: a bust combining organic character features, and a stone slab characterized by planar and symmetrical structure. Multi-angle image data were first synthesized using advanced generative AI models to simulate diverse viewpoints. These were then processed using AI-enhanced photogrammetry and modeling tools to reconstruct detailed 3D meshes and extract base textures. Post-processing steps, including mesh decimation, UV unwrapping, and texture baking, were performed to ensure compatibility with Physically Based Rendering (PBR) workflows used in Unreal Engine. The final assets were successfully imported into Unreal Engine, demonstrating visual fidelity and performance suitability in a real-time environment. The study confirms the pipeline’s potential for accelerating asset development and suggests promising future directions in AI-driven digital content creation.