ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a critical reflection on the emerging phenomenon described as the flood of artificial creativity, a term created to refer to the exponential growth of creative outputs generated by or co-created with artificial intelligence (AI). While such developments have been celebrated for lowering barriers to creative expression, this chapter highlights the complex and potentially detrimental implications of content saturation for creative industries, creators, platforms, and public perception. Drawing from empirical reports, psychological theories, and platform policy shifts, the chapter outlines three primary drivers of the flood: (1) the rapid adoption of generative AI tools, (2) financial incentives tied to content scale, and (3) the autonomous output of AI bots and agents. The consequences of this phenomenon are examined across multiple dimensions, including the destabilization of creative value, the dilution of cultural authority, the erosion of expertise, and the reconfiguration of creator identity and motivation in algorithmically governed environments. The chapter argues that, in an age of abundance, traditional markers of creative legitimacy (such as intentionality, skill, and scarcity) are being redefined. It also discusses how audience perceptions and platform strategies are responding to this shift and anticipates possible countercultural movements advocating for more human-centred creativity. The chapter concludes by proposing key research questions to guide future empirical inquiry, particularly regarding value attribution, motivational effects, and economic sustainability for human creators. Importantly, it calls for a paradigmatic rethinking of creativity in the context of intelligent systems and outlines the urgent need for longitudinal, interdisciplinary research into this rapidly evolving landscape.
