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Generative artificial intelligence enhances creativity but reduces the diversity of novel content

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  • Anil R. Doshi
  • Oliver P. Hauser

Abstract

Creativity is core to being human. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) holds promise for humans to be more creative by offering new ideas, or less creative by anchoring on GenAI ideas. We study the causal impact of GenAI on the production of a creative output in an online experimental study where some writers are could obtain ideas for a story from a GenAI platform. Access to GenAI ideas causes an increase in the writer's creativity with stories being evaluated as better written and more enjoyable, especially among less creative writers. However, GenAI-enabled stories are more similar to each other than stories by humans alone. Our results have implications for researchers, policy-makers and practitioners interested in bolstering creativity, but point to potential downstream consequences from over-reliance.

Suggested Citation

  • Anil R. Doshi & Oliver P. Hauser, 2023. "Generative artificial intelligence enhances creativity but reduces the diversity of novel content," Papers 2312.00506, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2024.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2312.00506
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hanchen Wang & Tianfan Fu & Yuanqi Du & Wenhao Gao & Kexin Huang & Ziming Liu & Payal Chandak & Shengchao Liu & Peter Katwyk & Andreea Deac & Anima Anandkumar & Karianne Bergen & Carla P. Gomes & Shir, 2023. "Scientific discovery in the age of artificial intelligence," Nature, Nature, vol. 620(7972), pages 47-60, August.
    2. Hanchen Wang & Tianfan Fu & Yuanqi Du & Wenhao Gao & Kexin Huang & Ziming Liu & Payal Chandak & Shengchao Liu & Peter Katwyk & Andreea Deac & Anima Anandkumar & Karianne Bergen & Carla P. Gomes & Shir, 2023. "Publisher Correction: Scientific discovery in the age of artificial intelligence," Nature, Nature, vol. 621(7978), pages 33-33, September.
    3. Tyna Eloundou & Sam Manning & Pamela Mishkin & Daniel Rock, 2023. "GPTs are GPTs: An Early Look at the Labor Market Impact Potential of Large Language Models," Papers 2303.10130, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2023.
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    5. Palan, Stefan & Schitter, Christian, 2018. "Prolific.ac—A subject pool for online experiments," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 22-27.
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    Cited by:

    1. Piyush Gulati & Arianna Marchetti & Phanish Puranam & Victoria Sevcenko, 2025. "Generative AI Adoption and Higher Order Skills," Papers 2503.09212, arXiv.org.

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