How does AI affect the self-actualization of content creators in dynamic environments? A knowledge management perspective

As the digital economy evolves, artificial intelligence (AI) is being integrated into creative workflows but it also has implications for creators' intrinsic needs and personal growth. This paper aims to analyze the impact and mechanisms of AI on content creators' self-actualization, especially how it works in fast-changing environments, and to present AI-driven knowledge management (KM) strategies as an integrated approach for optimizing this process. A quantitative survey method was used to collect data from 684 content creators across various new media platforms in China, followed by empirical analysis using PLS-SEM. The study findings show that the adoption of AI positively influences self-actualization in dynamic environments by enhancing creators' abilities to explore, share, and exploit knowledge. In this process, knowledge exploitation is an obvious shortcoming that should be prioritized for improvement, while knowledge exploration is a strength among content creators that should be maintained and further developed, and knowledge sharing should be moderately integrated into the workflow. By proposing and bridging an AI-KM model of interaction and symbiosis and a self-actualization framework in creative contexts, the paper is the first effort to explore the interplay between AI, KM processes, and self-actualization, filling a gap in existing research. The results offer actionable strategies for creators and managers in creative industries to promote human-machine interaction and personal values and provide an inclusive and collaborative practical path for enhancing the role of technology in human creativity.