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Creative scar without generative AI: Individual creativity fails to sustain while homogeneity keeps climbing

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  • Zhou, Yiyong
  • Liu, Qinghan
  • Huang, Jihao
  • Li, Guiquan

Abstract

Generative AI such as ChatGPT has been proven to enhance human creativity at the cost of content diversity. Yet, what occurs when individuals, who have developed a dependency on it, find ChatGPT inaccessible? In this study, we examine the impact of both the presence and absence of ChatGPT on sustained creative output and content homogeneity, leveraging two complementary methodologies: a natural experiment (Study 1) and a controlled laboratory experiment with extended follow-ups (Study 2). Study 1 analyzed 419,344 academic papers published before and after ChatGPT-3.5’s release across all subjects categorized by Web of Science (i.e., Physical Sciences, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Technology, Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities). Study 2, a seven-day laboratory experiment with two follow-up surveys, collected 3593 original ideas and 427 solutions across 18 different creative tasks, with half of the participants using ChatGPT-4. We find that although generative AI helps scholars to publish more academic works in higher-ranked journals and enhances individuals' performance in creative tasks, such creativity drops remarkably upon withdrawal of AI assistance. Strikingly, the induced content homogeneity keeps climbing even months later. We resemble the latter as a creative scar inked in the temporal creativity trajectory. This research identifies a creativity illusion that although generative AI can augment creative performance, users do not truly acquire the ability to create but easily lost it once generative AI is no longer available.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhou, Yiyong & Liu, Qinghan & Huang, Jihao & Li, Guiquan, 2026. "Creative scar without generative AI: Individual creativity fails to sustain while homogeneity keeps climbing," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:84:y:2026:i:c:s0160791x25002775
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103087
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