The Symbiotic Shift: Generative AI as Co-Creation Catalyst in Human Creative Dynamics

Generative AI has evolved from a passive tool into an active partner capable of autonomous, goal-directed behavior within collaborative contexts. This "agentic turn" is transforming traditional frameworks, shifting the paradigm from simple tool-based automation to genuine partnership-based co-creation. While the technical capabilities of advanced AI models are rapidly maturing and integrating into professional workflows, there is a critical need to understand the human, social, and experiential dimensions of this human-AI symbiosis. Currently, empirical and methodological gaps exist in understanding how this bidirectional collaborative agency reshapes creative processes, professional identity, and social outcomes across creative industries.This Research Topic aims to examine how generative AI acts as a co-creation catalyst in human dynamics, focusing specifically on the shift from instrumental tool-use to bidirectional collaborative agency. The collection seeks to address the tension between AI's potential to enhance individual creative performance and the risk of reducing collective diversity. Furthermore, it aims to investigate how adaptive AI systems can support varied expertise levels, from novices to experienced practitioners. By prioritizing novel methodological approaches, the goal is to unravel the "black box" of generative AI through the study of real-time interactions and longitudinal creative processes. Ultimately, the collection strives to advance theoretical frameworks, generate empirical insights, and propose governance principles that foster equitable, sustainable, and human-centered approaches to creative production.This collection welcomes submissions that center on the experiential, organizational, and societal dimensions of human-AI symbiosis in creative domains like visual arts, music, literature, architecture, and advertising. We especially seek original research, conceptual analyses and policy and practice reviews. Specific themes include role asymmetries and bidirectional influence, the individual enhancement versus collective diversity tension, impacts of user expertise, temporal dynamics of collaboration, and emergent ethical issues surrounding attribution and ownership. Submissions must explicitly analyze how these digital technologies influence society and their implications for individuals and communities, rather than focusing exclusively on algorithmic performance. Topic editors: Mohammad Lataifeh, Naveed Ahmed, Tracy Harwood, Eunkyong Baek Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79585/the-symbiotic-shift-generative-ai-as-co-creation-catalyst-in-human-creative-dynamics