When creativity meets artificial intelligence: a sequential path to smart learning and academic performance

Purpose This study examines how the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and students' creative thinking (CT) contribute to smart learning (SL) and academic performance (AP) in higher education. It further examines whether AI use and SL mediate the relationship between CT and AP in a sequential manner. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approach was adopted, and data were collected from 227 university students in Bangladesh. Structural equation modelling with SmartPLS was used to evaluate the proposed relationships. Findings The results show that both AI usage and CT are positively and significantly related to SL and AP. Beyond these direct associations, the data also point to a meaningful serial mediation pathway: students with stronger CT tend to report greater AI usage, which is in turn associated with higher SL engagement, and this heightened engagement is associated with better AP. Originality/value This study uniquely links CT, AI use, SL and AP in Bangladeshi higher education. It shows how CT affects academic achievement through sequential paths of AI usage and SL, clarifying how student talents convert into outcomes in digital learning environments. The findings suggest that institutions should promote CT and use AI-based learning tools to improve student performance.