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The Double-Edged Roles of Generative AI in the Creative Process: Experiments on Design Work

Jinghui (Jove) Hou¹; Lei Wang²; Gang Wang³; Harry Jiannan Wang³; Shuai Yang⁴

¹ Decision and Information Sciences, C. T. Bauer College of Business, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204 · ² Operations and Decision Technologies, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405; · ³ Accounting and Management Information Systems, Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716 · ⁴ Glorious Sun School of Business and Management, Donghua University, Shanghai 200051, China

Generative AI (GenAI) promises to revolutionize creative work, but its value is not universal. Using controlled lab settings with students and real-world tests with professional designers, our research shows that GenAI is a double-edged tool. In the initial brainstorming (ideation) stage, GenAI reliably boosts creativity for all users. However, in the execution (implementation) stage, whereas novice designers continue to benefit from GenAI’s assistance, expert designers encounter inefficiencies—spending significantly more time without improving creativity, because GenAI’s methods conflict with experts’ well-established routines. For firms, this means adoption strategies must be nuanced. GenAI delivers the greatest value when applied to brainstorming, early concept development, and work by less-experienced employees. In contrast, deploying GenAI in later-stage production tasks, especially with seasoned professionals, may reduce efficiency. Managers and tool designers should avoid blanket promotion of GenAI across all tasks and instead develop targeted adoption strategies that align with employees’ expertise and the stage of the creative process. By tailoring GenAI use, organizations can harness its creative potential while minimizing risks of counterproductive outcomes.

DOI

10.1287/isre.2024.0937

Language

en

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