AI Matters: Debunking the Myth that AI Hinders the Creative Process

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education creative writing courses effects leaners’ imagination and critical thinking skills. A prevalent view regarding use of AI is that AI diminishes creativity and struggles to accurately capture diversity. This study aims to challenge that view. It considers AI as a collaborator that improves interaction with multicultural stories, such as the “AI Enchantment” course component where students employed AI to retell traditional fairy tales while addressing more complex socio-political issues related to gender, power, and culture. The design used was qualitative, where a sample of 30 undergraduate students from different faculties had enrolled. Methods of data collection involved students’ reflections, questionnaires, focus group discussions, and the comparison of texts written by AI and students. Thematic analysis was performed to explore students' preferences between their original stories and the AI-generated versions. Students first submitted their original stories, after which AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini were used to rewrite and improve the original versions. The students analyzed both their original stories and the AI-assisted versions, providing reasons for their preference of one over the other. Results confirm that AI helped students brainstorm and synthesize ideas, in narrative construction, enabling them to experiment with creativity. However, concerns were raised regarding AI's inability to emote, the overreliance on AI tools, and various ethical issues. Some students embraced the use of AI, arguing that it enhances creativity, while others felt it restricts creative expression. The research concludes that a blended approach to instruction is necessary, integrating AI with human creativity. It also provides guidance for educators, researchers, and policymakers on how to harness AI effectively while preserving student autonomy and encouraging critical engagement in creative writing.