There is much debate at the moment about Human vs AI Creativity.
I totally get this but I wanted to explore the idea that this zero-sum discussion might be missing a bigger idea.
What if we started to think about Total Creativity.
This means the sum total of creativity of the individual, team and AI.
Let’s dissect this idea.
Individual Creativity
For many years we tended to look at creativity at the individual level.
We would study Picasso, Mozart, Da Vinci or Steve Jobs for example.
This was useful but it tended to focus on males only and minimised the contribution of others in the development of a new idea, work of art or piece of code or music.
Team Creativity
Then we realised that Michelangelo for example probably had some help in painting the Sistine Chapel.
So we started to focus on the creativity of the team and in modern times using tools such as brainstorming.
So Total Creativity might be thought of as Individual x Team Creativity.
Notice I am using x rather than + as the interaction between the individual and the team often has a multiplier effect.
AI Creativity
AI creativity in terms of generating lots of ideas, quickly is amazing.
Although there is some debate about the originality of these ideas.
But in my case I use AI as my 24 hour creativity partner that never complains, is always open and for the most part can enhance my initial ideas.
i particularly like its ability to transform my ideas into images that can stimulate further thoughts.
But AI at this stage does not have imagination or feelings, two very human drivers of creativity.
Total Creativity.
This leaves us with the idea of total creativity.
I define this as:
Individual Creativity x Team Creativity x AI Creativity.
In fact, you could argue that a more accurate formula might be:
(Individual Creativity x Team Creativity) to the Power of AI.
At least this might be the potential of Total Creativity.
I find this way of thinking more open and exciting.
This formula suggests that if you can increase the creativity of the individual for example then the team creativity expands and likewise with AI creativity.
It also suggests that you can start anywhere, with the individual, team or AI.
Boosting Total Creativity is the goal.
This begs the question how to unlock Total Creativity?
One way and of course not the only way is to use my Switch Thinking framework.
For example:
Here is a challenge:
How can an audience in a presentation help the presenter to be at their best?
Notice how I have switched the challenge.
I have placed the emphasis on the audience rather than the speaker.
A human inspired switch of thinking.
After all it is in everyone’s interest to make the most your time and gain some insight from a presentation.
I don’t have ready access to a group or team so I just asked ChatGPT for some ideas.
i asked it to respond in Box Mode (i.e. structured):
The audience could:
- Arrive prepared and curious.
- Remove distractions (phones, laptops).
- Listen actively rather than waiting to speak.
- Smile and make eye contact.
- Ask thoughtful questions.
Then is asked Chat to respond in Ball Mode (i.e. unstructured):
- The audience’s job was to discover one idea the presenter hadn’t considered?
- Every presentation had one empty slide for the audience to complete.
- People were rewarded for asking the most imaginative question rather than the “best” question.
This is Switch Thinking in action.
There is a switch between human and AI and between different modes of thinking (i.e. Box Mode and Ball Mode).
Or as ChatGPT has asked:
How do we switch intelligently between human creativity, team creativity and AI creativity to produce something none of them could create alone?