“Traditionally, creativity is often measured by the final output—a painting, a piece of music, a design. But for me, the real essence of creativity lies in the process itself.”

What is your definition of creativity?

Caterina Moruzzi: “My definition of creativity focuses more on the process than the product. Traditionally, creativity is often measured by the final output—a painting, a piece of music, a design. But for me, the real essence of creativity lies in the process itself. I define creativity through three core features: problem-solving, evaluation, and naivety. Creativity isn’t necessarily about producing something extraordinary; it can also be found in everyday problem-solving. The key factor is agency—the ability of an individual to evaluate their process and determine when to stop or adjust their approach. That decision-making aspect is crucial in defining creative work.”

“I define creativity through three core features: problem-solving, evaluation, and naivety.”

Do you believe creativity is an innate skill, or can it be trained?

CM: “Creativity can absolutely be trained. I distance myself from the romanticized notion of the 'creative genius'—a perspective that suggests only a select few possess creativity. Instead, I see creativity as a skill that can be nurtured and developed. Some people may have a natural talent for making unique connections, but anyone can train their creative thinking through practice and exposure to different disciplines. Creativity exists on a spectrum; it’s not a binary quality of either being creative or not. Small, incremental steps toward solving a problem can be just as creative as a groundbreaking idea.”

Have you observed any patterns in how successful creatives approach their work?

CM: “One pattern I’ve noticed is that highly creative individuals often bridge gaps between different disciplines. Margaret Boden, a researcher in AI and creativity, describes this as exploratory creativity—not just working within a field, but combining insights from various domains. This ability to draw unexpected connections is what sets apart truly innovative thinkers. Interestingly, I’ve observed similar behaviors in how creatives use AI tools. The most surprising and effective applications of AI often emerge when artists and designers repurpose these tools in ways their creators never intended.”

“Creativity exists on a spectrum; it’s not a binary quality of either being creative or not. Small, incremental steps toward solving a problem can be just as creative as a groundbreaking idea.”

How has the advancement of AI influenced your perception of creativity?

CM: “AI has made me reflect a lot on the concept of agency. When we talk about AI-generated art, we have to ask: what does agency mean in this context? Traditionally, agency has been tied to autonomy, independence, or free will. While AI lacks full agency, it is developing a kind of independence—one that complicates our understanding of creativity. This leads to bigger questions: should we distinguish between human and AI creativity? And if so, why do we inherently value human creativity more? These are the questions that fascinate me most right now.”

"While AI lacks full agency, it is developing a kind of independence—one that complicates our understanding of creativity." 

How do audiences perceive AI-generated creativity compared to human-made work?

CM: One of my early studies explored exactly this question. Participants were shown artworks created by both humans and AI without knowing the source. Many initially rated AI-generated pieces as highly creative. However, once they were told that a piece was AI-generated, their perception shifted—they were less likely to consider it creative. This tells us that our biases play a strong role in how we evaluate creativity. Even if AI produces work indistinguishable from human creations, we still hesitate to see it as truly creative.”

“The tension between creativity and efficiency is becoming more pronounced…Creativity requires time, failure, and exploration—qualities that don’t align with the push for productivity.”

There’s a growing concern in creative industries about AI replacing human roles. How do you see this tension playing out?

CM: “The tension between creativity and efficiency is becoming more pronounced. Businesses often view AI as a tool for streamlining creative work, but efficiency is not necessarily conducive to creativity. Creativity requires time, failure, and exploration—qualities that don’t align with the push for productivity. This shift in narrative is worrying, as it risks reducing creativity to a mechanized process. We need to be mindful of the language we use when discussing AI’s role in creative industries.”

How can creatives embrace failure in an era where AI prioritizes consistency and efficiency?

CM: “I recently conducted a study with creative professionals in advertising and marketing, observing how they integrate generative AI into their workflows. The study I conducted is part of a fellowship project I am conducting in collaboration with Adobe, supported by the Bridging Responsible AI Divides (BRAID) program, with funds from the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). One participant, frustrated by her inability to get the AI to produce the desired results, initially saw her struggle as a failure. But after reflecting on the process, she realized that failure was part of understanding how to use the tool effectively. The key is to shift our mindset—AI should be a tool that supports creativity, not dictates it. By maintaining control over AI rather than allowing it to control us, we can embrace failure as a natural part of creative exploration.”

“AI should be a tool that supports creativity, not dictates it.”

What are some exciting or surprising ways AI is being used in creative fields?

CM: “One fascinating example is an AI-driven choir project at the Serpentine Gallery, ‘The Call’ by Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst, where artists are exploring new models of collective ownership through AI-generated choral compositions. 

Another intriguing use case I uncovered in my research within the advertising and marketing sector involves creative agencies. Here, professionals employ AI as a debating partner—creating AI personas that mimic client perspectives to refine ideas. These applications move beyond AI as a mere content generator, instead positioning it as a collaborator in the creative process.”

“AI will need to integrate into creative workflows in a more sustainable way—much like photography or Photoshop did in their respective times.”

Given your long-term involvement with AI and creativity, how do you view the recent explosion of AI tools in the mainstream?

CM: “I started working on AI-generated creativity in 2016, when generative adversarial networks (GANs) were first making waves. Back then, there was more space for experimentation because the tools were not as streamlined. Today, AI tools are far more user-friendly, but that also means they’re more rigid. Ironically, this ease of use can limit artistic exploration. While some claim that AI is here to stay, I suspect we’re reaching a plateau. The novelty will wear off, and AI will need to integrate into creative workflows in a more sustainable way—much like photography or Photoshop did in their respective times.”