Individuals with Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) encounter substantial barriers in accessing digital media content. Artificial Intelligence-based User Interfaces (AI UIs) possess the potential to mitigate these barriers; however, the role of creativity in their actual user experience remains underexplored. This qualitative study, aiming to analyze the impact of creativity within AI UIs on facilitating media access, investigated the experiences of 18 Iranian users with SCI through in-depth semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. Findings indicate that AI UIs, by offering innovative interaction modalities, significantly enhance user autonomy and reduce physical impediments (a manifestation of positive creativity). However, significant challenges persist concerning accuracy, reliability, speed, complexity of use, and customization (stemming from inadequate creativity in implementation). Users articulate a demand for highly reliable, fast, simple, adaptable interfaces with adequate support. It is concluded that AI UIs hold considerable empowering potential; however, to fully realize this potential, a user-centered, inclusive design approach and a focus on operational creativity are imperative to address real-world challenges and enhance the user experience.
