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Yes—computers can be programmed to generate work that people judge creative. But producing a creative-seeming result is not, by itself, proof that a computer thinks, understands, or acts with the agency of a person. The answer depends on what “creative” means, what the system is being asked to do, and how its output is evaluated.

What does it mean for a computer to think creatively?

There is no universally accepted definition of creativity. A practical way to assess it is to ask whether an idea or result is both new and valuable or effective for its purpose. Some accounts also emphasize how ideas are explored, transformed, or combined.

The OECD’s PISA 2022 framework defines creative thinking as “the competence to engage productively in the generation, evaluation and improvement of ideas that can result in original and effective solutions, advances in knowledge and impactful expressions of imagination.” This is a definition for assessing students, not a universal rule for every kind of creativity. Read the OECD’s PISA 2022 definition.

In computational creativity, the steering committee definition reported by Anna Jordanous describes the field as “the study and simulation, by computational means, of behaviour, natural and artificial, which would, if observed in humans, be deemed creative.” That framing focuses on observable behavior: whether a system does things that would count as creative if a person did them. It does not settle whether the system has human-like thoughts or experiences. Jordanous, “A Standardised Procedure for Evaluating Creative Systems”.

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What computers can demonstrate

Generative systems can produce writing, images, music, and other candidate outputs. Whether a particular result qualifies as creative depends on more than whether it looks polished or differs from an earlier example. It should be judged against relevant standards for originality and usefulness; some approaches also ask whether it is surprising.

The OECD’s AI capability framework treats creative capabilities as something to assess empirically. It notes that many generative systems have difficulty producing surprising results, even when they can generate fluent or novel-looking work. This points to a qualified conclusion: a system may meet some creative criteria in a task without meeting others. See the OECD AI Capability Indicators.

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A 2026 IJCAI paper proposes assessing creativity through newness, value, and surprise, and describes applications to chess moves and paintings. This is a recent proposal, not a settled definition or proof that computers think like people. Its examples illustrate how a framework can be applied; they do not establish a general numerical measure of computer creativity. See the IJCAI 2026 proceedings.

How to evaluate a claim that a computer is creative

First be clear about what the claim concerns: the output, the process that produced it, the system’s ability to adapt, or collaboration between a person and a system. Then specify who judges the result and what standards they use. Jordanous’s SPECS procedure was proposed to make evaluation criteria explicit and systematic; an interdisciplinary tutorial surveys evaluation approaches across fields including psychology, philosophy, cognitive science, and computer science. Jordanous’s evaluation procedure and the interdisciplinary tutorial provide further detail.

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  • Novelty: Is the result new compared with a relevant baseline, rather than merely unfamiliar to one observer?
  • Value or effectiveness: Does it serve the purpose or audience for which it was made?
  • Surprise: Does it go beyond expected combinations or routine variation?
  • Domain and audience: Are the standards appropriate for the kind of work being assessed?
  • Evaluation method: Are judgments made by people, formal measures, or a structured combination—and could the assessment be repeated?

These criteria are not all used by every framework, and no single score settles the question for every domain. A useful evaluation explains its criteria and method instead of treating “creative” as an unqualified label.

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Does creative output mean a computer thinks like a person?

No. A computer producing work that people consider creative is evidence about its observable performance under particular criteria. By itself, that result does not establish human-like understanding, thought, intention, or agency. Those are broader claims than whether an output is original and effective.

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  • Journal is appropriate for grades K-2. It contains 100 double-sided, primary ruled sheets that measure 7-1/2" x 9-3/4".
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It is also too simple to say computers cannot be creative merely because they follow programs. The relevant question is what a system can do and how its results fare under a clearly stated, domain-appropriate evaluation. The philosophical question of whether that performance amounts to “thinking creatively” remains dependent on contested definitions and evidence beyond the output alone.

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Mead Primary Journal Creative Story Tablet Composition Notebook, 7.5' x 9.75', Grades K-2, 100 Sheets, Color Selected For You (10297)
Mead Primary Journal Creative Story Tablet Composition Notebook, 7.5" x 9.75", Grades K-2, 100 Sheets, Color Selected For You (10297)
Sewn binding is smooth, helps keep pages securely in place and lays flat when open
$6.70
Bestseller No. 5
Mead Primary Journal Creative Story Tablet Composition Notebook, 7.5' x 9.75', Grades K-2, 100 Sheets, Blue (09554)
Mead Primary Journal Creative Story Tablet Composition Notebook, 7.5" x 9.75", Grades K-2, 100 Sheets, Blue (09554)
Sewn binding is smooth, helps keep pages securely in place and lays flat when open; Available in Blue
$4.79
Best Value
Mead Primary Journal Creative Story Tablet Composition Notebook, 7.5" x 9.75", Grades K-2, 100 Sheets, Blue (09554)
  • Journal is appropriate for grades K-2. It contains 100 double-sided, primary ruled sheets that measure 7-1/2" x 9-3/4"
  • Double-sided primary ruling is printed with solid and dotted lines. Ideal for beginning students who want to improve their handwriting
  • Top half of each page is blank for illustrating stories. Cover includes a manuscript alphabet for reference
  • Sewn binding is smooth, helps keep pages securely in place and lays flat when open
  • Available in Blue

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