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How and when does artificial intelligence use enhance student creativity? The mediating role of knowledge-based
Huainan Wang1, Feng Fu1, Lei Li1
1Business School, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China.
Frontiers in Psychology
|August 11, 2026
Summary
Artificial intelligence (AI) use boosts student creativity in higher education by enhancing knowledge capabilities. AI self-efficacy amplifies these benefits, while AI trust shows mixed effects, offering insights for educators.
Area of Science:
- Educational Technology
- Artificial Intelligence in Education
- Higher Education Studies
Background:
- The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education necessitates understanding its impact on student creativity.
- Existing research lacks clarity on the mechanisms and boundary conditions linking AI use to creativity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and test a model examining the relationship between AI use and student creativity.
- To investigate the mediating roles of knowledge acquisition, absorptive, and combination capabilities.
- To explore the moderating effects of AI self-efficacy and AI trust.
Main Methods:
- Survey data collected from 764 university students in China.
- Hierarchical regression analysis employed to test the proposed model.
- Utilized the knowledge-based dynamic capabilities (KBDC) framework.
Main Results:
- AI use positively correlates with student creativity, mediated by knowledge acquisition, absorptive, and combination capabilities.
- AI self-efficacy significantly strengthens the positive association between AI use and these capabilities.
- AI trust moderates the relationship, weakening effects on knowledge acquisition and absorptive capabilities.
Conclusions:
- AI use fosters student creativity through enhanced knowledge-based dynamic capabilities.
- AI self-efficacy and trust act as crucial boundary conditions influencing the AI-creativity link.
- Findings provide practical guidance for optimizing AI integration in educational settings to promote creativity.
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