The Hidden Cost of AI-Assisted Creativity

AI can make individual creators more productive and inventive — but at a collective cost. Across four studies spanning short-story writing, circular-economy solutions, humor, and collaborative storytelling, the authors found that AI consistently limited the diversity of ideas across groups. The result: higher average quality, but fewer breakthrough outliers. Managers who understand this paradox can design workflows that harness AI while preserving the originality that fuels long-term innovation.