Negotiating professional identity in the creative industries: the REC framework for Human–AI creative work

Purpose This study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes professional identity in the creative industries. Although prior research has largely emphasized the technological capabilities and industry-level implications of AI, limited attention has been devoted to how creative professionals themselves interpret and negotiate its consequences for creativity, authorship, and career development. Design/methodology/approach An inductive qualitative design is conducted based on 40 semi-structured interviews with professionals from the Italian audiovisual industry, including actors, directors, screenwriters, technicians, and AI experts. Data were analyzed using the Gioia methodology. Findings Findings show that AI does not simply support creative work but disrupts established understandings of what it means to be a creative professional. Three interconnected forms of identity work emerge: resisting, extending, and crafting (REC). While some participants defend the human and symbolic foundations of creativity, others embrace AI as a source of experimentation and new skill formation. More critically, AI also generates identity ambiguity and fragmentation, blurring boundaries between human originality, technological assistance, and professional legitimacy. Originality/value This work addresses an important gap in AI and creative work research by shifting attention from technological adoption to the identity-level consequences of AI. Through a unique and heterogeneous dataset spanning multiple creative occupations, the study introduces the REC framework and conceptualizes AI as a disruptive identity force that simultaneously enables, threatens, and redefines career sustainability.