School of Labor and Human Resources, Renmin U. of China
Human interaction with generative artificial intelligence (AI) is characterized by user’s agency. This paper proposes two approaches for employees in using generative AI and explores how these approaches influence the creative outcomes of AI usage. Through a scale development study, we proposed and validated measurements for the inspiration and shortcut approaches, as well as their theoretical nomological network. In a field study, the results reveal that the usage approaches moderate the indirect effect of AI usage on creative performance through idea generation: when the inspiration approach is higher, the indirect effect of idea generation between AI usage and creative performance is stronger; conversely, when the shortcut approach is lower, the indirect effect is also stronger. The study reveals the moderating role of different approaches in how AI usage fosters creativity, thereby enriching the literature on human-AI interaction.
