<p>This qualitative study examines how undergraduate students negotiate creative agency within human-AI partnership, focusing on the role of generative AI in shaping creative process. Drawing from the semi-structured interviews with ten students at a Midwestern U.S. university, thematic analysis reveals that ChatGPT functions not merely as a productivity tool in idea generation and divergent thinking, but as a site of negotiation where students balance augmentation with concerns about originality, emotional resonance, and ownership. Findings indicate that students perceive the mastery of generative AI as a benchmark for academic relevance, viewing these tools as essential for fostering creativity in academic tasks. However, noticeable challenges emerge, including a growing AI divide driven by unequal access to AI literacy and institutional guidance. While participants value the tool’s ability to provide diverse perspectives, they emphasize that AI lacks the capacity for emotional resonance and original intent, reinforcing the view that AI should augment rather than substitute human ingenuity. Ethical concerns regarding institutional neglect and professor bias are identified as critical barriers that risk creating an ethical vacuum in the classroom. The study argues that creative agency in AI-mediated contexts is not diminished but reconfigured, requiring institutional frameworks that foreground intentionality, equity, and pedagogical clarity. Implications are discussed for AI literacy initiatives and creative pedagogy in undergraduate education. Future research is proposed to include longitudinal inquiries and more diversified student cohorts to track the evolution of these creative partnerships.</p>