How generative AI can unlock more creative ideas

While many organizations are rightly looking to AI for improving productivity, they may be overlooking the benefits of AI for more creative pursuits, including generating new ideas when large language models like ChatGPT are used correctly, according to experts from a December 17 news story in Harvard Business Review.

The experts said one of the biggest promises of generative AI is in unlocking new forms of human creativity that can drive innovation and growth, starting with ideation—the first phase of innovation where possibilities are explored and assumptions are challenged. They cited data from a recent survey of corporate adoption of generative AI that found the use of AI for “idea generation and brainstorming” increased between 2024 to 2025, jumping nine positions in the ranking in a single year.

They also discussed the nature of generative AI–driven creativity and suggested several ways to use generative AI to improve the quality, diversity, and impact of ideas. One suggestion when using AI is to zero-in on a specific goal while filtering out distractions. To do this, they suggested training an AI model on specialized content such as brand guidelines or customer feedback to generate ideas that align better within a specific business context.