Generative AI: The Psychological Effects on Human Creativity

Should we rethink the definition of creativity in the age of AI?

Sahir Maharaj
5 min readMar 7, 2023
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Creativity has undergone a revolution as a result of the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Machines can now create works of art, music, and even literature because they can generate new content based on existing data. This technological advancement does have some psychological effects, though. The use of generative AI is changing how we view creativity and posing significant questions about what it really means to be creative.

The blurring of the boundaries between human and machine creativity is one of the main psychological implications of generative AI. Creativity has traditionally been thought of as a quality that only humans possess, requiring imagination, intuition, and emotion. However, thanks to the development of generative AI, machines can now create content that is identical to that created by humans. Discussions about the nature of creativity and whether or not machines are capable of being truly creative have resulted from this.

Let’s look at some examples to better understand the effects of generative AI on how we perceive creativity. One illustration is the use of generative AI in art. Machine learning algorithms are increasingly being used to create art, from paintings to sculptures, in recent years. Though some claim that machine-produced art lacks the emotion and intentionality of human-made art, it can still be aesthetically pleasing. Others claim that machines are capable of producing truly original and cutting-edge works of art, challenging our preconceived ideas about what constitutes creativity.

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Another example is the use of generative AI in music production. In order to produce new compositions that mimic those made by humans, generative AI can analyze existing musical works. While machine-produced music can be impressive, some contend that it lacks the emotional complexity and originality of music made by humans. Some claim that music produced by machines can be just as inventive and emotionally impactful as music made by people.

Despite these differences of opinion, it is undeniable that the use of generative AI is changing how we view creativity. One of the main ways it does this is by blending the distinction between human and automated creativity. The traditional definition of creativity is being challenged by the ability of machines to produce content that is indistinguishable from that created by humans.

Our expectations of what is possible have been changing, which is another way that generative AI is changing how we perceive creativity. Machines can now create works that were thought to be impossible only a few decades ago thanks to their capacity to generate new content based on already-existing data. As musicians and artists use generative AI to find new ways to express themselves, this has created a feeling of possibility and excitement in the creative community.

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However, the application of generative AI also poses significant moral dilemmas. Who, for instance, is the owner of the copyright for works of art, music, and writing produced by machines? Should a law grant legal rights to machines as creators? Given that they have the potential to have a significant impact on the creative industries, these are challenging questions that demand careful consideration.

Additionally, the use of generative AI raises issues regarding the place of people in the creative process. While it’s true that machines are capable of creating works of art and music, they lack the emotional complexity and deliberateness that come from humans. Concerns about the devaluation of human labor in the creative industries are also raised by the use of machines to create content.

In conclusion, generative AI use is influencing our understanding of creativity in sophisticated and wide-ranging ways. The traditional definition of creativity is being challenged by generative AI, which blurs the distinction between human and machine creativity. It is evolving our perceptions of what is possible, resulting in an increased sense of excitement and possibility in the creative world. However, it also poses significant moral dilemmas regarding property rights and the undervaluation of labor in the creative industries.

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It’s crucial to remember that generative AI is enhancing human creativity rather than replacing it. Machines’ capacity to produce content based on available data is a potent tool that can be employed to stimulate and inform human creativity. It can assist musicians and artists in finding fresh ways to express themselves and pushing the limits of what is practical in their respective fields.

Overall, there are numerous and complex psychological effects of generative AI on how we perceive creativity. While the use of automated content creation raises questions about how we traditionally define creativity, it also has the potential to stimulate and enhance human creativity in novel and exciting ways. It is crucial that we approach this technology critically as we continue to examine its potential and be willing to engage in open conversations about how it will affect our world.

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Sahir Maharaj

Data Scientist | AI Engineer | Without big data, you are blind and deaf and in the middle of a freeway. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahir-maharaj/