Generative Artificial Intelligence and the Emergence of Creative Displacement Anxiety

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), a subset of AI that can generate novel content such as images, text, and music, has the unique transformative potential of augmenting human creativity, offering tools that can enhance creative expression and open unprecedented avenues for innovation. However, alongside its remarkable capabilities, the inevitable pervasive integration of this technology in every aspect of human life, including creative fields, involves the risk of giving rise to unforeseen psychological challenges for our society. This article discusses the potential emergence of a novel psychological phenomenon consisting in the multifaceted response to the perceived overshadowing of human creativity by AI-driven tools. Specifically, the article introduces the term “Creative Displacement Anxiety” (CDA), describe its foundation, and discuss its relationships with established psychological and psychosocial models, theories, constructs, and diagnoses such as technostress, impostor syndrome, cognitive dissonance, and economic anxiety. The article conceptualizes and elucidates the potential root causes, symptoms, and implications of CDA. Additionally, it discusses how some of the possible negative mental health outcomes could potentially be mitigated. Our work emphasizes the need for interventions that raise awareness on generative AI, support individuals in accepting and incorporating AI as a creative tool and companion and helps them navigate this new landscape. Finally, by offering a view of the interplay between AI advancements and the human creative psyche, our research aims at fostering the discussion around embracing the positive contribution of generative AI to our society.