Generative Creativity: A Cultural Studies Exploration of Definitions

Abstract

This article is devoted to a conceptual analysis of the phenomenon of generative creativity as a qualitatively new form of human-machine interaction arising from the integration of generative artificial intelligence into creative practices. Methods. The research is based on a conceptual framework approach, which involves systematic work with concepts – their identification in the existing literature, comparison, reinterpretation and integration into a new analytical structure. A critical synthesis has been carried out of classical psychological theories of creativity (structural, systemic, relational and developmental models) with contemporary research in the field of generative artificial intelligence and human-machine co-creation. A comparative analysis was carried out using key publications from 1961 to 2025 in the fields of the psychology of creativity, cognitive sciences, philosophy and cultural studies.

Results. It has been established that none of the existing conceptual models of creativity is sufficient on its own to describe the phenomenon of generative creativity. Based on the identified levels of technical autonomy and agency, three main modes of human-machine creative interaction have been identified: the use of AI as a tool to augment human capabilities without significantly transforming the creative process; a form of ‘creative synergy’, where humans and AI act as equal partners, mutually shaping and enriching the creative process; a form of ‘symbiosis’, where the boundary between human and machine contributions becomes conceptually indistinguishable, forming a single distributed creative system. It has been demonstrated that the emergence of generative AI transforms not only the instrumental field of creativity, but also the ontological status of authorship and the structure of relations between the creator and the audience.

Conclusions. ‘Generative creativity’ is a theoretically grounded concept for the cultural analysis of new forms of human-machine interaction. The proposed conceptual framework bridges the existing gap between psychological studies of creativity and philosophical debates on the nature of machine agency, offering a cultural studies perspective that takes into account the social, value-based and symbolic dimensions of generative creativity. Further research should focus on the empirical verification of the proposed framework using specific cultural practices as case studies, and on the development of normative approaches to regulating human-machine co-creation.