Abstract Based on creative process theories and utilizing data from an experiment and a multi-source, three-wave field survey, this study examines the dual pathways through which generative artificial intelligence usage impacts employee creativity. The findings indicate that while generative artificial intelligence usage enhances creativity by improving absorptive capacity, it concurrently inhibits creativity by impairing cognitive elaboration. Additionally, interpersonal interactions mitigate the negative impact of generative artificial intelligence usage on cognitive elaboration and strengthen its positive impact on absorptive capacity. These findings highlight the double-edged sword effect of generative artificial intelligence usage on employees’ creative thinking processes and creativity performance, emphasizing the crucial complementary role of interpersonal interactions in the context of human-machine interactions.
CHEN Liping,XU Minya,LIU Shengming. The Dual Impact of Generative AI Usage on Employee Creativity[J]. Chinese Journal of Management, 2025, 22(2): 326-.
