Does AI Make Us All Think Alike? Not If We Know How to Ask.

Brett Christie, Ph.D.
VP, Educational Innovation & Inclusivity

A recent article in Axios framed as “AI makes us all think alike” reports on a study that found 94% of ideas generated by ChatGPT during a brainstorming task “shared overlapping concepts,” while participants who relied on combining their own ideas with traditional web searches produced more unique responses. Their conclusion? Brainstorming with AI may stifle originality and lead us into homogenous thinking.

This kind of research is important. We need rigorous inquiry into how AI tools shape our thought patterns, learning habits, and creative processes. But we also need to be cautious about overextending conclusions, or simplifying the dynamics at play.

To say “AI makes us all think alike” assumes that the tool determines the outcome, when in reality, the way we engage with the tool can be even more consequential. ChatGPT doesn’t originate ideas independently, it builds upon the cues and constraints we give it. It responds to prompts, and prompts are authored by humans. The more constrained or literal the prompt, the more likely the output will reflect a surface-level set of ideas. The more generative and open-ended the prompt, the more imaginative the results can be.

So, the real challenge is not that AI makes us think alike, but that many of us haven’t yet learned how to think differently with AI.

The Purpose of Brainstorming Isn’t Perfection, It’s Motion

The Axios article leans heavily into the value of uniqueness in idea generation. But it overlooks something essential: brainstorming isn’t about producing polished, novel, or even good ideas. It’s about starting. It’s about motion, momentum, and breaking the inertia of the blank page.

This is where AI excels, not as a replacement for human ingenuity, but as a catalyst. When we treat ChatGPT as a springboard rather than a destination, its so-called “creativity gap” becomes a human opportunity. That gap isn’t a flaw; it’s a sweet spot. It’s the space where our discernment, improvisation, and imagination come alive. It’s where we respond, shape, deviate, and invent.

A Tale of Two Toilets

Let me illustrate with an experience I had at an Ed Tech Futures Summit during a creative thinking breakout session. Our group was given this playful task designed to push our collective creative envelope: “Design a toilet that will change people’s lives.”

It’s the kind of imaginative challenge that could easily fall flat with a literal AI prompt:

“Create a toilet that improves lives.”

Feed that to ChatGPT and you’ll get well-intentioned answers about hygienic features, water conservation, accessibility. All valid. All safe. All somewhat expected.

But what if we lean into creativity with our prompt?

“Let’s have you get real creative in developing a revolutionary toilet that will change people’s lives. I want you to think way outside the box, as if we were spitballing wild ideas in the most imaginative way possible. Forget constraints. There are no wrong answers, just the potential for a novel idea.”

That’s the shift.

We’re no longer treating AI as a static suggestion engine. We’re inviting it into a generative conversation, one where we’ve granted it creative license and human context. The result? Much wilder (and more entertaining) ideas: solar-powered composting seats that convert waste into Wi-Fi signals for underserved communities, portable toilets with real-time air quality alerts, or dignity-enhancing designs for displaced populations. One particularly imaginative favorite? The AR Privacy Bubble + Mood Sync: a retractable audiovisual cocoon that rises from the base, offering guided meditation, news briefings, music playlists or nature soundscapes, and real-time scent therapy (think lavender-infused focus mode). In short, a design that transforms every trip into a retreat. Are these examples practical? Some more than others. Are they original? Absolutely. More importantly, they’re starting points. They spark follow-up questions, refinements, and collaborative expansion.

Creativity Is Not Just What We Generate, It’s What We Do With It

If we reduce creativity to “original ideas on first output,” we’re missing the process that makes creative work meaningful. The most innovative outcomes, whether in writing, product design, or teaching, emerge through cycles of refinement, feedback, and divergence. And this is where AI, in the hands of a curious human, becomes a powerful tool.

The real takeaway from the Axios article shouldn’t be that AI is a creativity killer. It’s that we’re still discovering how to use it with greater nuance and intentionality. And that learning involves developing a fluency in promptcraft, a recognition of when to build upon vs. break away from AI outputs, and a deeper appreciation of our own role in the creative loop.

If we treat ChatGPT as a mirror, we’ll get reflections of the average. But if we treat it as a creative collaborator, we can push the boundaries of the expected and bring our most unique ideas to life.