AI killing creativity: this scientist proved it

AI killing creativity: this scientist proved it

From TechFirst with John Koetsier by John Koetsier

February 20, 2026 · 25 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the impact of AI on creativity, featuring insights from Saeema Ahmed-Kristensen on the limitations and opportunities of AI in creative fields.

Is AI killing creativity ... or just making it easier to be average? 94% of creatives now use AI. But only 11% believe it actually makes them more creative. So what’s really happening? In this episode of TechFirst, John Koetsier sits down with Saeema Ahmed-Kristensen, former head of design engineering research at Imperial College London’s Dyson School and now leader of a £24M research portfolio at the University of Exeter. She’s worked with companies like Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems, and she brings data to the debate. Her team analyzed 600 humans vs. 12,000 AI-generated ideas. The result? AI is excellent at fluency (lots of ideas) … but really bad a diversity. Humans still dominate in flexibility and true novelty. We explore: • Why generative AI clusters around sameness • Whether AI is creating a “sea of mediocrity” • Why 2026 may be a pivotal year for domain-specific AI • How experts should use AI differently than novices • The danger of AI that never says “no” • Where AI offers massive opportunity (especially healthcare & design) Saeema argues that creativity doesn’t need substitution, it needs nourishment. The key? Standards, boundaries, and humans firmly in the loop. If…

People in this episode

Host: John Koetsier

Guest: Saeema Ahmed-Kristensen

Topics covered

  • AI
  • creativity
  • design
  • innovation
  • generative AI

Keywords

  • fluency
  • diversity
  • mediocrity
  • healthcare
  • product development

Mentioned in this episode

Products: AI-generated ideas, design engineering

Books & works: Lipstick on a Pig, Canva look

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