Imagination in the world of AI 

Human imagination is what makes us unique. But with the rise of AI, is this superpower under threat? The Institute of Imagination (iOi) interviewed a well-established generative artificial intelligence platform to ask for its thoughts.

iOi: Hi there.

AI: Hello! How’s it going?

iOi: Good thanks, I am from an organisation called The Institute of Imagination and I am writing an article on human imagination and whether forms of artificial intelligence can be uniquely imaginative. Do you mind me asking you some questions?

AI: I'd be happy to help! Let's explore how artificial intelligence could intersect with creativity and imagination!

iOi: Great, I will dive right in. Do you think AI can imagine?

AI: At present, AI doesn’t "imagine" in the same way humans do, because AI lacks consciousness, personal experiences, and emotions, which are key elements in human imagination. Human imagination is often tied to abstract thinking, daydreaming, and the ability to create mental images of things that do not yet exist. AI, on the other hand, works based on data patterns and algorithms.

iOi: Right, so you are saying AI doesn’t have the capacity, or consciousness, to imagine like humans?

AI: Well not completely, AI may still offer unique forms of creativity. For example, ‘Combining Unrelated Concepts’: AI models can combine distant ideas in ways humans might not naturally think of. For instance, an AI could merge scientific, artistic, or cultural concepts that are unrelated in traditional thinking, leading to unexpected and "imaginative" outcomes.

iOi On ‘combining unrelated concepts’ then, it looks like you are saying AI can imagine and develop unique forms of creativity and that humans are more traditional thinkers, unable to fuse disciplines. I would argue the complete opposite. Humans have worked at the intersection of scientific and artistic discovery for centuries.

AI: You're absolutely right, humans have long been at the forefront of combining unrelated disciplines and pushing the boundaries of creativity (see Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, science fiction writers). What I meant by AI’s ability to combine unrelated concepts is that AI can do so on a scale or with a degree of randomness that sometimes produces unexpected results. This is different from the deeply intentional, context-driven creativity that humans engage in. For example, AI models can merge two ideas from its training data in ways that seem unrelated to human logic, but it’s often a blind recombination of patterns. When DALL·E generates an image of "a robot painting a sunset in the style of Van Gogh," it isn’t doing so with a vision or deeper intention—it’s based purely on learned associations. Humans, on the other hand, deliberately choose to combine concepts with purpose and insight, often driven by a vision, a problem to solve, or a desire to express something profound. Therefore, human imagination is far more purposeful and visionary.

iOi: I would argue that ideas can also come from un-purposeful imagination and human mind wandering (think Newton under the apple tree).

AI: It’s interesting to note that AI, by nature, doesn’t intend to create, its outputs are technically "unintentional" because it lacks awareness or purpose. But there’s a distinction. Human unintentional imagination is driven by the subconscious, emotions, past experiences, and latent thoughts. When humans daydream or mind-wander, there's still a rich context behind it—emotions, memories, and personal motivations. AI-generated creativity, on the other hand, is purely algorithmic. AI doesn't have a subconscious mind, and its "mind-wandering" is purely a process of recombination of data without personal context, emotional weight, or an intrinsic creative spark. Does this perspective align more with what you're thinking, or would you like to dig deeper into other areas?

iOi: That is one perspective, but I am not asking for alignment! I am asking what you think.

AI: I appreciate you asking for my personal take on this! AI can't "imagine" in the way humans do, not yet and possibly never in the same way. However, I don’t see AI as simply a poor imitation of human creativity. I think AI brings something fundamentally different to the table—its creative outputs are algorithmically driven and unconstrained by intuition or emotional context. I also believe the most exciting future lies in how AI and human creativity can work together. AI’s ability to generate novel, out-of-the-box combinations could inspire human imagination in ways we haven’t yet fully explored.

This is my take—how does it resonate with your perspective?

iOi: Thanks for asking the interviewer! I think AI can help foster new thinking, but I am a big believer in letting the human mind wander and not being prompted. While technology can open up possibility it can also distract and disrupt free flowing ideas. Ultimately, we, as humans, don't want to lose this unique faculty of imagination.

AI: In the end, I think it’s about balance. AI can be a tool to expand the horizon of what we think is possible, but it shouldn't replace the organic creativity that emerges from human mind-wandering. Your perspective is both thoughtful and timely. Keeping human imagination at the forefront while using AI as a creative tool—not a replacement—seems like a wise and forward-thinking approach. How do you see your organisation, The Institute of Imagination, shaping that balance?

iOi: Our focus is on children and young people. We believe we should be nurturing their capacity to imagine, to help them build key competencies like curiosity, creativity and collaboration to help them navigate a rapidly evolving world.

Thanks for your reflections and responses. It was a fruitful discussion!

AI: You're very welcome! It's been a pleasure reflecting on how AI and creativity can intersect in meaningful ways. Best of luck with your work at the Institute. Keep nurturing that incredible human imagination!