By Charlotte Wong, Hanna Fischer, Sin Ka Lau (Reading University)
Human made image
AI is negatively impacting our own creativity
These are a few concerns that researchers have raised.
1. Cognitive Offloading and Reduced Creativity
Users rely on AI instead of generating ideas themselves. Over time, this can restrain creative performance when working independently.
2. Fixation on AI-Generated Ideas
Users are becoming overly attached to AI suggestions, exploring fewer original ideas.
Without the social pressure to challenge AI-generated ideas, creativity becomes more narrow and less diverse.
3. Acceptance of Mediocre Creativity
AI often produces recombinations of existing ideas rather than truly innovative ones.
Over time, this may normalize safe, predictable creativity instead of encouraging bold, paradigm-shifting thinking.
4. Decline of Original Voice and Authorship
Due to the normalisation of AI-generated texts, individuals may begin to see AI outputs as their own work. This blurs the sense of intellectual ownership and reduces the drive to develop a unique creative voice.
5. “Use It or Lose It” Effect on Creative Skills
When AI takes over idea generation, humans risk gradually losing their capacity to think creatively due to lack of use. AI is a powerful tool, but creativity thrives on effort, struggle, and originality. The challenge is not whether to use AI, but how to use it without losing what makes human creativity unique.
