It’s Not Just How but Also When

A new study looked at generative AI in creative work. We’ve reported on studies showing that the use of GenAI can limit your critical thinking abilities; this one looked at whether it matters when in the process you use AI. Early access grew the idea pool fivefold, and teams then pruned it. Moving the same 15 minutes of access to the selection phase lowered expert-rated creativity by 0.62 standard deviations because late ideas skipped the screen. For your next creative AI session, use the model to widen the pool, then switch it off once you start choosing.