Exploring the Role of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Creative Thinking Processes: results from a preliminary study.

Creativity is widely recognized as a key competence in higher education and is closely related to higher-order cognitive processes such as analysis, evaluation, and creation. Recent developments in generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) challenge traditional views of creativity as an exclusively human capacity, raising questions about its influence on students’ creative thinking. This preliminary study investigates the impact of GenAI on higher-order thinking processes in university students, with specific reference to the Create dimension of the revised Bloom’s taxonomy. A quasi-experimental design with two independent groups was employed. Fifty-six undergraduate students completed an authentic creative task based on the analysis and reinterpretation of a disciplinary text; only one group was allowed to use GenAI during the analytical phases preceding creative production. Data were collected through a structured creative performance rubric, the creativity module of the A.S.K. test, and a questionnaire assessing familiarity with AI-based tools. Results showed no statistically significant differences in creative performance between students who used GenAI and those who did not, although a small positive trend emerged in the experimental group. Significant positive correlations were found between creative performance and familiarity with AI, particularly in content creation and problem-solving skills. Creative potential measured by the A.S.K. test was also moderately associated with actual performance. Overall, findings suggest that GenAI does not directly enhance creativity but may act as a cognitive amplifier when integrated in a reflective and informed manner, with relevant implications for educational design in higher education.