Cognitive Creativity in the Clutches of Artificial Intelligence: Critical Educational and Psychological Readings

Abstract

This theoretical study explores the relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence within contemporary intellectual and educational discourse. It critically examines how the increasing integration of artificial intelligence into creative and cognitive processes may reshape the nature of creativity itself. Drawing on classical and modern theories of creativity in psychology and education, the study conceptualizes creativity as a multidimensional human capacity grounded in cognitive flexibility, lived experience, emotional intelligence, and ethical judgment. The analysis highlights concerns that excessive reliance on artificial intelligence may constrain creative autonomy, encourage cognitive passivity, and promote standardized patterns of thought and production. Rather than viewing artificial intelligence solely as a technological advancement, the study frames it as a transformative epistemic agent that challenges traditional understandings of human originality and innovation. The study argues that while artificial intelligence can support creative activity, it should not replace the reflective, critical, and experiential dimensions that define human creativity. It concludes by emphasizing the necessity of a human-centered theoretical framework that safeguards creativity as a fundamentally human attribute in the age of intelligent automation.