🧠 A study shows that AI equals average human creativity

Can artificial intelligence demonstrate true creativity? New work conducted by Canadian researchers shows something unexpected, indicating that generative AI systems such as ChatGPT have now reached a level that allows them to surpass the average creativity of a human being on well-defined exercises. This finding shakes our understanding of innovation.

Published in Scientific Reports, this work reveals that large language models like GPT-4 obtain better scores than the standard human participant in assessments measuring verbal creativity. This performance was established by comparing AI productions to those of one hundred thousand people. Nevertheless, the survey specifies that the most inventive individuals retain a marked advantage, their most original proposals surpassing all current artificial generations.


To conduct this analysis, the scientific team used the divergent association test, a rapid method that involves producing ten words with meanings as distant as possible. Designed by a co-author of the study, this exercise reflects the ability to formulate multiple and unexpected ideas. It does not rely solely on an extensive lexicon, but on broader cognitive mechanisms related to inventive thinking in many sectors.

Subsequently, the researchers extended their examination to more elaborate creative activities, such as composing haikus or imagining film scenarios. Once again, the same trend appears: AI can sometimes show better performance than the average human, but it is outpaced by the most talented human creators. This gap widens even further when observing the group of the top 10% of participants bringing the newest ideas.

The creativity of AI systems can be guided by adjusting certain technical levers, such as the 'temperature' parameter that controls the degree of predictability of responses. Well-written instructions, inviting for example to consider the etymology of terms, can also lead to more astonishing associations. These factors show that the creative production of AI remains heavily dependent on the interaction and directives provided by human users.

This study thus sketches a future where AI could function as an instrument to amplify human imagination. According to the authors, this technology would act as a collaborator, expanding the field of possibilities and modifying professional practices, without however substituting for the most exceptional human capabilities.

Measuring creativity: beyond simple words

In order to objectively compare human and artificial capabilities, the scientists used the divergent association test. The latter gauges the ability to emit numerous and distant ideas from the same starting point.

Its principle is simple: it involves listing ten words whose meanings are as distinct as possible. Associating for example 'quantum' and 'velvet' demonstrates a thought capable of establishing unusual relationships. Although linguistic, this task does not only measure the extent of vocabulary.

It implements cognitive processes such as mental flexibility and the ability to weave improbable links. These skills are fundamental in many creative fields, from problem solving to artistic writing. This test has the advantage of being rapid and accessible, allowing for large-scale comparisons.