The Times Australia
The Times World News

.
The Times Real Estate

.

Will AI kill our creativity? It could – if we don’t start to value and protect the traits that make us human

  • Written by Cameron Shackell, Sessional Academic and Visitor, School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology
Will AI kill our creativity? It could – if we don’t start to value and protect the traits that make us human

There’s no doubt generative AI’s ability to rapidly produce new texts, images and audio is shaking up creative jobs.

In the long-running Writers Guild of America strike[1], a central sticking point[2] has been the guild’s demand that AI be used only as a research tool and not a replacement[3] for its members. For many creative types[4], it seems harder to earn a living with AI around.

At the same time, however, AI tools are often seen as a springboard[5] to next-level human creativity[6]. Technologies such as Anthropic’s chatbot Claude[7] and OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Dall-E 3[8] offer a seductive creative experience.

Will these tools help us survive and thrive as a creative species? Or are they the death knell of creativity as we know it?

Read more: 3 ways AI is transforming music[9]

What is creativity?

In her book The Creative Mind[10], cognitive science expert Margaret Boden distinguishes between two types of human creativity.

Psychological or personal (p-type) creativity happens when an individual thinks something for the first time – even if others have thought it separately before. One example is a child realising water can take any shape.

Essentially, p-type creativity is learning something useful and, in the process, synchronising our thoughts with others.

Historical creativity (h-type), on the other hand, happens when an individual thinks something that has never been thought before. One example would be Archimedes’s “eureka” moment in the bath, which supposedly led to him[11] discovering the law of buoyancy.

The more someone’s creativity subsequently affects other people’s thinking, the more momentous and enduring we consider their legacy.

This is why Wandjina rock art[12] in the Kimberley, Homer’s Iliad[13], Pablo Picasso’s Guernica[14], Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house[15] and Albert Einstein’s Annus Mirabilis papers[16] are all considered exceptional works left behind by exceptional humans. They are important because they continue to shape our thinking.

Generative AI doesn’t belong in either category

AI obviously has the potential to promote both p-type and h-type creativity. It can lead us to insights about biology, history and mathematics, and help us create texts and images that may be useful or thought-provoking.

But there is one key difference between human creativity and AI-driven creativity: the latter doesn’t stem from the evolutionary clash of mind and world.

AI models don’t contain reality. They rely on the complex statistical abstraction of digital data[17]. This limits their real-world creative significance and their capacity to produce “eureka” moments.

To differentiate AI-driven creativity from old-fashioned creativity, I have proposed[18] a new term: generic, or g-type, creativity. It formalises the fact that while AI models are capable of provoking new thought, they are limited[19] by the underlying data they have been trained on.

Read more: AI art is everywhere right now. Even experts don't know what it will mean[20]

The big risk: a generic spiral

We can expect an explosion[21] in g-type creativity in our future. The danger here is that our increasing use of AI could make us think too much alike, leading to a decrease in cognitive diversity and an increase in cultural tightness[22].

In this scenario, societies would become more rigid in the norms they enforce, and less tolerant of deviations from the status quo. At a population level this would be a creativity killer[23].

The threat isn’t just AI-generated movies, TV, books and art. In the future, the homes we live in, the cars we drive (or won’t have to drive) and our shared public spaces will all be shaped by AI. We may see our thinking become homogenised under the pressure of increasingly similar environments and experiences[24].

This sameness further put us at risk of a generic spiral. AI models are trained on content we create. So the more we use AI for g-type creativity, the more generic our content will become – and since this will be used to further train AI, the more generic AI outputs will become.

While this might be useful for certain specialist tasks[25] – such as consistently interpreting law – it’s worrying to contemplate the kind of Orwellian political economy a generic spiral might give rise to.

Can we enjoy AI and also preserve creativity?

Balancing and reconciling human creativity with AI isn’t as simple as going for regular walks in nature[26] – although that will probably help.

Generative AI may well be a transformative technology to rival the printing press[27] or steam engine[28]. Such juggernauts are difficult to resist; we collectively get swept up in the change, uncertainty and alienation they foment.

Some of the best minds of our generation are already abandoning other pursuits to try their luck at building and using advanced AI models.

Our best chance to remain truly creative is to protect and privilege the human over the artificial. Intellectual property law is key. Any further moves towards legal personhood[29] for AI – such as allowing AI a “fair use[30]” right to train itself on copyrighted material[31], or have copyright applied to AI outputs[32] – will erode our creative system and risk a generic spiral in human creativity.

References

  1. ^ Writers Guild of America strike (en.wikipedia.org)
  2. ^ sticking point (www.nbcnews.com)
  3. ^ not a replacement (www.hollywoodreporter.com)
  4. ^ creative types (www.weforum.org)
  5. ^ a springboard (www.forbes.com)
  6. ^ human creativity (theconversation.com)
  7. ^ Claude (www.theguardian.com)
  8. ^ Dall-E 3 (openai.com)
  9. ^ 3 ways AI is transforming music (theconversation.com)
  10. ^ The Creative Mind (www.routledge.com)
  11. ^ led to him (uakron.edu)
  12. ^ Wandjina rock art (en.wikipedia.org)
  13. ^ Iliad (en.wikipedia.org)
  14. ^ Guernica (en.wikipedia.org)
  15. ^ Fallingwater house (fallingwater.org)
  16. ^ Annus Mirabilis papers (en.wikipedia.org)
  17. ^ abstraction of digital data (www.zdnet.com)
  18. ^ I have proposed (www.brandingmag.com)
  19. ^ limited (papers.ssrn.com)
  20. ^ AI art is everywhere right now. Even experts don't know what it will mean (theconversation.com)
  21. ^ explosion (www.mckinsey.com)
  22. ^ cultural tightness (innovation-entrepreneurship.springeropen.com)
  23. ^ creativity killer (www.nature.com)
  24. ^ similar environments and experiences (eprints.qut.edu.au)
  25. ^ certain specialist tasks (theconversation.com)
  26. ^ walks in nature (www.wanderlust.co.uk)
  27. ^ the printing press (www.mainz.de)
  28. ^ steam engine (en.wikipedia.org)
  29. ^ legal personhood (en.wikipedia.org)
  30. ^ fair use (www.copyright.gov)
  31. ^ copyrighted material (www.theguardian.com)
  32. ^ copyright applied to AI outputs (papers.ssrn.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/will-ai-kill-our-creativity-it-could-if-we-dont-start-to-value-and-protect-the-traits-that-make-us-human-214149

The Times Features

Understanding the Dangers of Ignoring a Gas Leak

Gas leaks are silent threats lurking within both homes and workplaces. A gas leak occurs when natural gas or any other gaseous substance escapes from a pipeline or containment. T...

Can You Sell Your House Privately in Queensland? Here’s How

Selling a house privately in Queensland is entirely possible and can be a cost-effective alternative to using a real estate agent. While agents provide valuable expertise, their co...

Itinerary to Maximize Your Two-Week Adventure in Vietnam and Cambodia

Two weeks may not seem like much, but it’s just the right time for travelers to explore the best of Vietnam and Cambodia. From the bustling streets of Hanoi to the magnificent te...

How to Protect Your Garden Trees from Wind Damage in Australia

In Australia's expansive landscape, garden trees hold noteworthy significance. They not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of our homes but also play an integral role in the local...

Brisbane Homeowners Warned: Non-Compliant Flexible Hoses Pose High Flood Risk

As a homeowner in Brisbane, when you think of the potential for flood damage to your home, you probably think of weather events. But you should know that there may be a tickin...

Argan Oil-Infused Moroccanoil Shampoo: Nourish and Revitalize Your Hair

Are you ready to transform your hair from dull and lifeless to vibrant and full of life? Look no further than the luxurious embrace of Argan Oil-Infused Moroccanoil Shampoo! In a...

Times Magazine

"Eternal Nurture" by Cara Barilla: A Timeless Collection of Wisdom and Healing

Renowned Sydney-born author and educator Cara Barilla has released her latest book, Eternal Nurture, a profound collection of inspirational quotes designed to support mindfulness, emotional healing, and personal growth. With a deep commitment to ...

How AI-Driven SEO Enhancements Can Improve Headless CMS Content Visibility

Whereas SEO (search engine optimization) is critical in the digital landscape for making connections to content, much of it is still done manually keyword research, metatags, final tweaks at publication requiring a human element that takes extensiv...

Crypto Expert John Fenga Reveals How Blockchain is Revolutionising Charity

One of the most persistent challenges in the charity sector is trust. Donors often wonder whether their contributions are being used effectively or if overhead costs consume a significant portion. Traditional fundraising methods can be opaque, with...

Navigating Parenting Arrangements in Australia: A Legal Guide for Parents

Understanding Parenting Arrangements in Australia. Child custody disputes are often one of the most emotionally charged aspects of separation or divorce. Parents naturally want what is best for their children, but the legal process of determining ...

Blocky Adventures: A Minecraft Movie Celebration for Your Wrist

The Minecraft movie is almost here—and it’s time to get excited! With the film set to hit theaters on April 4, 2025, fans have a brand-new reason to celebrate. To honor the upcoming blockbuster, watchfaces.co has released a special Minecraft-inspir...

The Ultimate Guide to Apple Watch Faces & Trending Wallpapers

In today’s digital world, personalization is everything. Your smartwatch isn’t just a timepiece—it’s an extension of your style. Thanks to innovative third-party developers, customizing your Apple Watch has reached new heights with stunning designs...

LayBy Shopping