AI Outperforms Average Humans in Creativity, New Study Reveals

For years, creativity was considered one of the last safe harbors of human advantage—something machines could assist with, but not truly rival. A new study is challenging that assumption. Researchers found that modern AI systems can outperform average human participants on widely used creativity tests, producing ideas that score higher for originality, usefulness, and flexibility.

This doesn’t mean art, innovation, and imagination are now “solved” by algorithms. But it does signal a major shift: AI is no longer just a productivity tool for repetitive tasks. It is increasingly capable of generating novel concepts, unexpected associations, and workable solutions—at scale. Below, we’ll break down what the study suggests, why it matters, and how creators and businesses can respond.

What the Study Found (And Why It Matters)

The study evaluated AI outputs against responses from human participants using common creativity assessment methods. While results vary depending on the exact model and prompts used, the overall conclusion points in the same direction: AI can match or exceed the creative performance of the average person under certain testing conditions.

Creativity Was Measured, Not Assumed

Instead of relying on subjective opinions like “this feels creative,” the researchers used structured creativity metrics—often built around divergent thinking (the ability to produce many different ideas). Tests like these typically score responses based on:

• Originality: How uncommon or surprising the idea is
• Fluency: The number of ideas generated
• Flexibility: The variety of categories or approaches represented
• Usefulness: Whether the idea is practical or relevant to the prompt

AI models tend to perform well because they can generate many variations quickly and connect concepts from a massive range of learned patterns—sometimes producing combinations humans wouldn’t consider under time pressure.

“Average Humans” Is the Key Phrase

One detail that’s easy to miss is the comparison group: the average human. The study does not necessarily claim AI is more creative than top-tier artists, inventive directors, or elite designers. Instead, it suggests AI can outperform typical participants on standardized creativity tasks.

That distinction has big implications. In the same way calculators outperform most people at arithmetic, AI may become a baseline creativity engine—raising the floor for ideation and concept generation across industries.

How AI Can Score Higher on Creativity Tests

To understand why AI performs strongly in these studies, it helps to look at what creativity tests reward and how AI generates content.

AI Produces Volume Without Fatigue

Many creativity assessments reward idea quantity and breadth. AI can produce dozens of plausible options within seconds, without boredom, self-doubt, or performance anxiety. People commonly self-censor ideas they think sound “weird,” while AI will often provide unusual angles freely—some of which end up scoring as original.

Pattern Mixing at Massive Scale

Modern AI models learn from broad language and image patterns, allowing them to blend concepts across domains. That cross-domain combination is often a core ingredient of creative output: connecting “A” from one context and “B” from another to form something novel.

For example, if you ask for a campaign idea for sustainable fashion, AI might blend:

• Behavioral psychology nudges
• Minimalist product storytelling
• Gamified recycling programs
• Community-based influencer strategies

Many humans can do this too—but AI can do it rapidly, with broad coverage, and without needing years of industry exposure.

It Optimizes for the Prompt

Standardized tests are, by nature, prompt-driven. AI models are built to respond to prompts. When the evaluation criteria are closely linked to the prompt requirement—generate alternatives, propose novel uses, create story premises—AI can tailor its output directly to those scoring dimensions.

Limitations: What AI Creativity Still Struggles With

Despite impressive results, creativity is bigger than idea generation. It also includes judgment, taste, context, lived experience, and long-term purpose. AI can mimic aspects of creativity, but several limitations remain important.

Meaning and Intent Are Often Missing

AI may generate striking ideas, but it doesn’t inherently “want” anything. Humans bring intent—personal history, emotions, and values—to creative work. That intent often shapes what audiences perceive as authentic, moving, or culturally meaningful.

Novelty Can Become Noise

High originality scores don’t automatically equal great creative outcomes. Some AI-generated ideas feel random or disconnected. In real-world creative work, coherence and relevance matter as much as novelty.

Context, Culture, and Ethics Require Human Judgment

Creative content can misfire when it ignores cultural nuance or ethical boundaries. AI can inadvertently reproduce biases or generate ideas that are inappropriate for certain audiences. Human oversight is essential—especially in marketing, education, healthcare communication, and public-facing media.

What This Means for Creators and Businesses

If AI can outperform average humans on certain creativity measures, the real question becomes: how do individuals and organizations adapt? The best outcomes will likely come from human-AI collaboration, not competition.

AI as an Ideation Partner

AI works extremely well as a brainstorming companion. It can help generate:

• Blog topics and SEO keyword clusters
• Video concepts and hooks
• Product names and taglines
• App features and user story ideas
• Brand voice samples to explore tonal directions

Instead of starting from a blank page, teams can start from a menu of options, then refine with human taste and strategy.

Raising the Baseline in the Workplace

One major effect of AI creativity is “baseline uplift.” People who don’t consider themselves creative may now produce decent first drafts, campaign concepts, or presentation narratives with AI assistance. That can speed up workflows and make creativity more accessible across roles.

Competitive Advantage Shifts to Curation and Direction

When idea generation becomes cheap, value shifts to:

• Problem selection: choosing the right challenge to solve
• Creative direction: guiding tone, style, and narrative
• Editing and refinement: turning raw ideas into polished work
• Distribution strategy: getting the right message to the right audience

In other words, the winners won’t be those who can produce the most ideas—they’ll be the ones who can choose the best ideas and execute them well.

How to Use AI to Enhance Your Creativity (Practical Tips)

Whether you’re a writer, marketer, designer, founder, or student, you can take advantage of AI creativity without losing your human edge.

1) Give Better Constraints

Creativity thrives on constraints. Instead of asking “Give me ideas,” try:

• Audience: “For first-time homebuyers in their 30s…”
• Tone: “Warm, witty, not salesy…”
• Format: “10 hook options under 12 words…”
• Goal: “Improve click-through rate for an email subject line…”

2) Request Variations, Then Remix

Ask for 20 options, pick 3, then combine the best elements. AI is great at producing the raw clay; humans are great at sculpting.

3) Use AI for “Opposite Thinking”

If you’re stuck, ask for the opposite approach: “Give me the most unconventional angle,” or “What would a competitor never do?” This often surfaces fresh directions quickly.

The Bigger Picture: Redefining Creativity in the AI Era

The study’s headline—AI outperforming average humans in creativity—forces an uncomfortable but productive conversation. If creativity can be measured and AI can score well, then creativity is not a single mystical trait. It’s a set of skills: idea generation, association, exploration, iteration, and selection.

AI can accelerate many of those steps. But human creativity remains deeply tied to lived experience, emotional truth, and cultural intention. The future likely belongs to creators who treat AI as a multiplier—a way to explore more options, test more directions, and reach higher-quality outcomes faster.

Conclusion

This new study suggests AI has crossed a meaningful threshold: it can outperform average humans on creativity tests designed to measure originality and divergent thinking. That breakthrough will reshape how we brainstorm, design, write, and innovate—especially in workplaces where speed and volume matter.

The smartest response isn’t fear or denial. It’s adaptation. Use AI to expand possibilities, then apply human judgment to choose what matters, what resonates, and what should exist in the world. Creativity isn’t disappearing—it’s evolving.