The world is experiencing an unprecedented surge in artificial intelligence, but as we embrace this technological revolution, an essential question emerges: Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) quietly diminishing our creative thinking?.

The Potential Threats to Human Ingenuity

In Who Killed Creativity?… And How Can We Get It Back?, my partner Gaia and I explored the worrying decline of creative thinking in adults as they age and across generations. Our research revealed that while IQ scores have steadily climbed since Alfred Binet began testing in 1904, CQ (Creative Quotient) scores have been in decline since the 1990s.

IQ gains can be attributed to the Flynn Effect, the phenomenon where enriched environments make us smarter. However, concerns have grown that CQ scores may have suffered due to the rise of the internet era.

Could AI present an even greater challenge? Once a prized leadership trait, is creative thinking now at risk of being outsourced to algorithms?

The Value of Innate Human Qualities

If we surrender our creative and critical faculties to machines, we risk losing not only our competitive edge but also the essence of what makes us uniquely human.

People with high CQ tend to be inquisitive, resilient, and open to new experiences—qualities AI cannot replicate.

Design thinking, a structured approach to innovation that thrives on empathy, exploration, and iterative problem-solving, further reinforces these distinct human strengths. While AI may streamline processes, it cannot authentically engage in these deeply human experiences. If we rely on AI to shortcut creative thinking, we risk homogenized solutions and, ultimately, stagnation.

AI can analyze patterns, but creativity and critical thinking require more than pattern recognition. When we allow AI to take the wheel, we lose the opportunity for those vital "aha!" moments that drive innovation.

AI: A Powerful Ally or a Creativity Blocker?

The appeal of AI lies in its efficiency and instant answers. Yet studies reveal a darker side: The more we depend on AI for thinking, the less we engage our own minds.

A recent study by Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University found that knowledge workers who relied heavily on AI tools disengaged from critical thinking, producing less original work and falling into a cycle of dependency.

The concept of "use it or lose it" applies here. Our creative muscles weaken when we don’t exercise them. If AI use continues without intentional engagement, our ability to think creatively may erode over time—unless we challenge how we integrate AI into our creative processes.

AI itself is not the enemy of creativity. How we interact with it determines whether it becomes a barrier or an enabler. To protect CQ and sustain creative, critical, and design thinking, we must remain vigilant, intentional, and—above all—human.

© Andrew Grant – Feel free to repost and share, as long as proper credit is given to the author.

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Andrew Grant and his partner Dr Gaia Grant (PhD) (University of Sydney Business School) have spent 30 years travelling the world to look at creativogenic cultures, and why is it that some societies & companies seem to have raced ahead with innovation, while others appear to have been left behind. As a result, they have developed a CSI style board game to help teams diagnose their creativity, AND validated Innovation Climate Indicator (iCLi) to assess the innovation readiness so as to manage tension in executive teams embracing change, to ensure innovation can be sustainably implemented.

Andrew’s significant success comes from the fact that he is not only able to talk intelligently and engagingly about the important elements of creative thinking and innovation, but it is easy to see in everything he does. He is both globally minded and culturally fluent, resulting in sessions that are always relevant and sensitive to both the local mindset and diverse audiences.

Andrew has been featured in a number of international media including BBC and ABC TV along with commercial TV, Reuters, Harvard Business review, Fast Company and the Wall St Journal.

www.tirian.com