Here’s a fascinating paradox for the AI age: people feel more creatively confident after seeing AI-generated work—even if they wouldn’t necessarily rate that work as top-notch. Essentially, when you learn a joke, poem, or artwork was crafted by artificial intelligence, you may suddenly believe, “Hey, I can do better!” This phenomenon, revealed by recent research from marketing scholars Jake Teeny and Taly Reich, is rooted in social comparison psychology and a public perception that AI still lags behind humans in creative finesse.
Now, don’t get me wrong—this doesn’t mean AI is a slouch. It means we see AI as a “semi-human” peer, yet one we consider less skillful. So when we measure ourselves against it, our creative ego gets a small but meaningful nudge upward. And that boost isn’t just a feel-good fluke: it actually motivates people to engage more in creative tasks, be it writing jokes, drawing, or storytelling.
Here’s the rub, though: increased confidence doesn’t always translate into better output. The same study found that while participants felt they could craft funnier captions than the AI, independent judges found no quality difference. So AI exposure kickstarts effort and engagement but doesn’t necessarily fast-track mastery or innovation.
From a practical angle, this could be gold for educators and marketers looking to spark creativity. Imagine showing students AI’s homework attempts not to intimidate, but to inspire their own originality. Or challenging marketers with AI’s rough drafts to get those fresh ideas flowing.
The takeaway? AI’s creative presence might serve less as a rival and more as a motivational mirror—highlighting our unique human spark by comparison. It’s a reminder that AI isn’t just a tool or competitor, but potentially a muse that wakes up our own creative mojo. As long as we keep our expectations grounded and use that confidence wisely, AI could be the nudge we need to get off the bench and into the game of innovation. Source: Knock Knock. Who’s There? Generative AI.
