Artificial Intelligence and the Cultural Meaning of Creativity: An Anthropological Study of Youth Perspectives in the Digital Age

Abstract

This paper examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping creativity among young people, focusing on authorship, originality, and ethical concerns. The scope is limited to widely used AI platforms such as Midjourney, DALL·E, and ChatGPT. AI’s rise has sparked debates over authenticity and cultural value in creative work. Once defined by human struggle, skill, and imperfection, creativity now faces redefinition as machines produce polished outputs with ease. This shift has created generational divides: older groups often see AI as a threat, while younger users adopt it as a tool for experimentation. A mixed-method approach was employed. A ZohoSurvey with 103 participants of diverse ages and nationalities included multiple-choice, short-answer, and scale-based questions on creativity, authorship, and ethics. Secondary sources, including academic studies and media reports, contextualized the findings. Eighty percent of respondents reported using AI for creative purposes, reflecting its normalization. Yet 75% expressed conflict over authorship, questioning whether AI outputs truly belonged to them. While many valued AI’s accessibility and inclusivity, others worried it diminished the role of effort, process, and skill. Ethical concerns included bias, uncredited data usage, and the invisibility of labor behind AI systems. Further research should explore long-term cultural impacts of AI on creativity. Integrating AI literacy into education is essential to equip young people with the tools to engage critically and responsibly.