"Creativity Is Doing More Than The First Thing You Think Of"

Rethink how we collaborate with AI

A seventh-grader in Ohio once wrote on a post-it note:

"Creativity is doing more than the first thing you think of."

It’s probably my favorite definition of creativity — simple, profound, and surprisingly relevant today.

At countless AI events I’ve attended, one question always comes up:

“Will AI replace us?”

My answer has always been: “No. AI will make us all creators.”

But recently, after reading into researches on AI’s impact on human creativity, and seeing firsthand how people are actually using these tools, I’ve started to rethink not just what creativity means, but how we can outgrow the older versions of ourselves with AI, instead of fearing being replaced by it.

In a world shaped more and more by artificial intelligence, it’s never been more important, (or more inspiring) to learn how to collaborate with AI, and to use it wisely as we move into the future.

The Churchill Conundrum: From Bathtub Brilliance to AI Assistance

Imagine Winston Churchill, lounging in his bathtub, dictating a national address to his assistant in the next room. He shouts corrections and refinements, pushing beyond his initial thoughts to craft a message that will resonate with the nation. This scene, immortalized in Albert Finney's portrayal, represents a level of creative collaboration that was once reserved for the privileged few.

Fast forward to today, and we find ourselves in a world where, as Jeremy Utley, adjunct professor of creativity and AI at Stanford University, puts it, "the poorest villager in Palo Alto can have what only Winston Churchill used to have." We now have AI assistants that can understand our context, voice, and intent, ready to collaborate with us in our creative endeavors.

How should we treat AI, a Tool or …?

As we embrace this new era of AI-assisted creativity, we face a crucial decision:

do we treat AI as a mere tool, or do we think of it as if it was a teammate?

This choice can dramatically impact our creative output and productivity.

Why Treating AI as a Tool Limits Your Creative Potential

Research conducted revealed a surprising finding: while AI can make people 25% faster, 12% more productive, and improve work quality by 40%, less than 10% of professionals are actually reaping these benefits.

In many cases, AI made people less creative. Why?

What’s your guess of the results from the above experiment?