People often worry about how their creativity stacks up against artificial intelligence. Recent research shows something unexpected: creative work with an AI label actually makes us feel more confident about our own creative abilities1.
The findings are fascinating. When researchers showed people identical creative work, those who thought it came from AI felt they could create something similar themselves20. This pattern showed up in jokes, poetry, art, and storytelling120. We see AI as an easier standard to measure up against, which boosts our confidence1.
Human teams still create the best brainstorming results and generate more diverse ideas21. The confidence boost we get from AI-labeled content opens up new possibilities. This piece heads over to the inner workings of this “artificial confidence” effect. We’ll learn about the experimental proof and see how it applies to learning, working, and breaking through creative barriers.
How AI-Labeled Content Changes Self-Perception
Recent studies show an unexpected psychological phenomenon: people get a big boost in creative self-confidence just by viewing content with an AI-generated label. This change in self-perception happens whatever the content’s true origin (AI or human), which shows how labels can shape our self-assessment1.
Downward Social Comparison with AI in Creative Tasks
Researchers found an interesting pattern of “downward social comparison” when people compare themselves to artificial intelligence. People tend to see AI as less capable at creative work, so they feel more confident about their own creative abilities2. We see this effect across many creative areas like jokes, stories, poems, and visual art. The confidence boost happens even when people look at similar content – with the only difference being whether it came from an AI system or human creator1.
Perceived Creative Ability of AI vs Humans
AI has shown amazing capabilities in creative generation, yet people continue to undervalue AI-created work. One striking example shows participants valued art labeled as AI-generated 62% lower than similar pieces labeled as human-made3. People rated human-created art higher in creativity, labor investment, and monetary value, even while acknowledging that AI can produce work with similar technical skill4. This bias stays strong even when AI serves only as a tool to help human artists4.
Why AI is Seen as a Lower Standard in Creativity
Several key factors explain why people see AI as creatively inferior:
- True creativity links to emotional authenticity and depth – qualities people believe AI cannot have5
- Human creative process involves unique personal stories and intuitive understanding that machines can’t copy3
- People see AI as lacking agency and “staying in a constant state of stagnation unless prompted”6
These perceptions create practical uses: teachers could show AI-written essays to boost student confidence, and companies might use AI-generated content to inspire employee creativity1. The confidence effect shows up mainly in creative areas rather than factual ones, which highlights how deeply we connect creativity with human experience.
Experimental Evidence from the AI Study
Research through controlled experiments reveals fascinating insights about how AI-labeled content shapes our creative confidence. Here’s what each study tells us about this phenomenon:
Study 1A–1C: Jokes, Poetry, and Visual Art Confidence Boost
The research team ran several experiments in different creative areas. Something interesting happened when people looked at similar creative content (jokes, visual art, or poetry). They rated their own creative abilities 16% higher7 when told the work came from AI instead of humans. People also thought the supposed AI creator was less skilled—rating its sense of humor 16% lower in the joke experiment7. This pattern showed up in every creative area they tested, which proves that just calling something “AI-generated” gives people’s self-confidence a substantial boost.
Study 2: Increased Willingness to Create After AI Exposure
The confidence boost did more than just make people feel better. Participants who thought they were reading AI-generated stories became more eager to try creative tasks themselves2. The psychological lift from seeing AI work seems to help people overcome their creative blocks. They feel more motivated to create something after seeing what AI can do.
Study 3: Confidence vs Actual Performance Discrepancy
Researchers wanted to know if this extra confidence led to better creative work. They had people write cartoon captions after showing them captions labeled as either AI or human-created2. People who saw “AI” captions felt more confident and liked their own work better. However, external judges couldn’t find any real difference in quality between the groups7. This shows the confidence boost might be more about perception than actual improvement.
Study 4: Content Quality Had No Effect on Confidence
The quality of the creative work didn’t matter much to this effect2. People got the same confidence boost whether they saw high-quality or low-quality work labeled as AI-generated. This proves that the creator’s identity, not how good the work is, drives this boost in confidence.
Study 5: No Confidence Boost in Factual Domains
The last experiment checked if this effect went beyond creative work2. The confidence boost stayed strong with AI-labeled creative content but disappeared completely with factual writing8. People see AI as equally good or better at factual tasks, so there’s no downward comparison effect. This confirms that the phenomenon only happens in areas where people think they still have a creative edge over AI.
Behavioral and Psychological Impacts of AI-Created Content
AI-generated content now affects human behavior and creativity in ways that go way beyond the reach and influence of simple perception changes. These changes show up in how willing we are to create, how confident we feel, and our emotional bonds with creative works.
Greater Willingness to Involve Ourselves in Creative Tasks
Studies show that when people see AI-labeled content, they become more enthusiastic about trying creative activities. Artists who use text-to-image AI tools showed a 25% boost in creative productivity9. AI-assisted artworks get 50% more favorites per view than works made without AI9. This isn’t just theory – 9 out of 10 people pick AI ideas when they’re available during creative tasks10. The boost happens mostly in creative areas, unlike factual domains where AI already proves its worth.
Overconfidence Risks in Less Skilled People
AI’s confidence boost helps people with lower creative abilities the most. Research reveals that AI help “levels the playing field” between less and more creative writers10. This comes with some downsides though. Education experts warn that students might lose their drive to learn if they depend too much on AI systems11. The risk is that people might feel more skilled without actually improving their abilities.
Emotional Authenticity and AI’s Perceived Depth
AI creates technically sound content but struggles with authenticity. People see AI-generated communications as less authentic compared to human-created ones12. This gap creates a kind of “moral disgust,” which leads to fewer recommendations and less loyalty12. The authenticity barrier grows especially when emotions matter – situations where creative expression needs to show both originality and emotional connection13. People still value human creativity for its emotional depth and real-life experience – qualities that audiences find missing in even the most advanced AI outputs.
Implications for Education, Work, and Content Strategy
Research shows that AI-labeled content increases human creative confidence, which has practical uses in many fields. People can utilize this effect to improve results in education, workplace teamwork, and personal creative work.
Using AI Examples to Encourage Student Creativity
Studies reveal that 83% of students regularly use AI in their studies14. They mostly use free AI tools that are accessible to more people. Teachers can boost student confidence by showing AI-generated examples before creative assignments. This method helps students overcome the “fear of the blank canvas”15 that often blocks creativity. To cite an instance, students complete AI-assisted writing assignments in just 30 minutes instead of two weeks because AI helps them get past their original hesitation16.
Boosting Employee Confidence in Brainstorming Sessions
AI-powered brainstorming tools revolutionize how teams generate ideas by helping them break through creative blocks17. Teams can focus on strategic and creative work rather than routine tasks18. Companies find success using AI-labeled content at the start of brainstorming sessions, especially since seeing AI-created work makes people more willing to try creative tasks. This approach creates what Microsoft calls a “pedagogy of wonder”19 where AI sparks human innovation.
AI as a Tool for Overcoming Creative Blocks
AI helps curb creative blocks when combined with specific strategies. Tools like HyperWrite’s Brainstorming Tool generate ideas of all types to start creative processes17. These tools work as thinking partners instead of replacements. AI provides clear, structured responses that make creativity more straightforward, which helps people push past obstacles15. Artists benefit greatly from this approach, showing a 25% boost in creative productivity when they use text-to-image AI tools.
Conclusion
Recent research challenges what we believe about how AI affects human creativity. AI-labeled content actually boosts our confidence in our creative abilities. The studies show that people feel more capable after they see jokes, poems, stories and artwork that AI supposedly generated.
We tend to see artificial intelligence as a lower creative standard. This psychological effect explains the confidence boost. The confidence boost vanishes when people work with factual content instead of creative work.
This finding has practical applications for students, teachers and professionals. Teachers can use AI examples to help students overcome their creative blocks. Teams at work could start their brainstorming with AI-generated ideas. This approach lets employees build on these ideas with their unique human perspectives.
In spite of that, some pitfalls need attention. The research shows that while people feel more confident, their actual creative output doesn’t always improve. People with limited creative skills might become overconfident.
The connection between human and artificial creativity works better as a partnership than a competition. AI works best when it sparks our creativity rather than replacing it. These technologies keep evolving, which makes it crucial to understand what they mean for our psychology. Our most promising future lies in learning how AI’s presence can inspire us and magnify our creative potential.
References
[1] – https://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/faculty-research/confidence-effect-how-exposure-ai-creativity-shapes-self-belief
[2] – https://www.psypost.org/artificial-confidence-people-feel-more-creative-after-viewing-ai-labeled-content/
[3] – https://business.columbia.edu/research-brief/digital-future/human-ai-art
[4] – https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-45202-3
[5] – https://medium.com/@axel.schwanke/generative-ai-never-truly-creative-68a0189d98e8
[6] – https://news.uark.edu/articles/69688/ai-outperforms-humans-in-standardized-tests-of-creative-potential
[7] – https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/knock-knock-whos-there-generative-ai
[8] – https://everydaypsych.com/how-ai-improves-your-creative-confidence/
[9] – https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/3/3/pgae052/7618478
[10] – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11244532/
[11] – https://slejournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40561-024-00316-7
[12] – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296324004880
[13] – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12283995/
[14] – https://mbs.edu/faculty-and-research/trust-and-ai/key-findings-on-ai-at-work-and-in-education
[15] – https://www.edutopia.org/article/guiding-students-creative-ai-use/
[16] – https://www.edsurge.com/news/2024-09-18-how-ai-can-foster-creative-thinking-in-the-classroom-and-beyond
[17] – https://www.passionlab.ai/post/how-ai-can-overcome-the-mundane-and-unlock-your-teams-creativity
[18] – https://www.advito.com/resources/boosting-confidence-in-ai-adoption-4-communication-tips-to-improve-employee-engagement/
[19] – https://www.aacsb.edu/insights/articles/2025/02/ai-and-creativity-a-pedagogy-of-wonder
[20] – https://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/lifestylegeneral/artificial-confidence-people-feel-more-creative-after-viewing-ai-labeled-content/ar-AA1EUrJt
[21] – https://www.psypost.org/humans-still-beat-ai-at-one-key-creative-task-new-study-finds/