Intro

The most innovative creators don't use AI as a replacement – they use it as a strategic partner in a carefully choreographed dance of human and machine intelligence.

Welcome to Part 4 of our series, Creative Thinking in the AI Age – on strengthening your uniquely human creativity while using AI as a partner, not a replacement.

In Part 1, we explored the alarming decline in creative thinking as we've grown dependent on AI. In Part 2, we discovered how neuroplasticity allows us to rebuild and enhance our creative capabilities. And in Part 3, I gave you a practical 10-minute daily workout to strengthen the neural pathways essential for innovative thinking.

Today, we're bringing it all together with something immediately actionable: a framework for creating productive partnerships with AI that enhance rather than diminish your creative capabilities.

This isn't about rejecting AI – it's about using it strategically to amplify your uniquely human abilities. When used properly, AI can handle routine cognitive tasks while freeing your mind for the breakthrough thinking that algorithms simply cannot replicate.

Let me start by clarifying the fundamental difference between human and machine intelligence that drives this partnership:

Convergent thinking is the process of analyzing existing data to find optimal solutions within defined parameters. This is what AI excels at – processing vast amounts of information to identify patterns and generate options based on probability distributions of what has worked before.

Divergent thinking is the ability to generate novel ideas by making unexpected connections, breaking conventional patterns, and imagining what doesn't yet exist. This is where humans uniquely excel – our capacity for intuitive leaps, metaphorical thinking, and insight that transcends existing data.

The most powerful creative partnerships leverage both: AI's computational strength and the human capacity for originality. Let me demonstrate with a simple example.

If I asked an AI to design a chair, it would analyze thousands of existing chair designs and generate variations based on established patterns. The results would be functional but predictable.

But what if I first engaged in divergent thinking by questioning the very concept of sitting? What if I reimagined a chair as something that supports the body in motion rather than at rest? This human insight – this conceptual leap – changes everything about how we might approach the design.

Now when I engage AI, I'm not asking it to “design a chair” but to help explore a completely new approach to supporting the human body. The AI becomes a tool for expanding and refining my original insight rather than a replacement for it.

This is the heart of creative partnership: human divergent thinking provides the spark of originality, while AI convergent thinking helps develop and refine that spark into something practical.

The Art Of Creative Prompting 

Before we dive into our five-step framework, let's talk about what makes an effective AI prompt for creative work. The way you communicate with AI dramatically impacts the quality and originality of what you receive in return.

Throughout this episode, I've included actual prompts formatted in code blocks that you can copy, edit, and paste directly into your favorite AI tool – whether that's ChatGPT, Claude, or others. These aren't theoretical; they're battle-tested approaches I've used with innovation teams.

The most powerful creative prompts share three key characteristics:

1. They express curiosity rather than certainty – Phrases like “I'm exploring,” “I'm curious about,” or “Help me understand” signal to the AI that you're in an exploratory mode rather than seeking definitive answers. This subtle shift encourages broader, more nuanced responses.
2. They use specific framing devices – Notice how our example prompts use structures like “What aspects are overlooked?” or “What contradictions exist?” These frames direct the AI's analytical power toward particular angles of exploration. The formula prompts I've shared provide ready-to-use framing devices for different situations.
3. They maintain creative tension – Effective prompts don't ask for immediate solutions but instead create a productive tension by examining contradictions, assumptions, or overlooked aspects. This tension generates the creative friction from which original insights emerge.

When using the example prompts throughout this episode, customize them to your specific challenge, but maintain these structural elements that encourage exploration rather than premature convergence. The goal is to shape AI responses that serve as thought-provoking material for your own creative thinking, not as final answers.

Here's a quick formula for effective prompts:

• “What aspects of [problem] are most overlooked?”
• “What contradictions exist in how people approach [challenge]?”
• “What assumptions might be limiting how we think about [issue]?”
• “What perspectives on [problem] have we never considered?”
• “What patterns in [issue] are repeating historically?”
• “What barriers prevent solving [challenge] with existing solutions?”

Now, let's explore our five-step framework for forming creative partnerships with AI that enhance rather than diminish your creative capabilities.

STEP 1: Prime Your Brain First 

The most common mistake I see is turning to AI too early in the creative process. This typically happens because facing a blank page is uncomfortable – we're seeking the path of least resistance.

But this short-circuits your brain's ability to make original connections. Instead, I recommend priming your brain before engaging any AI tools.

Here's how:

1. Begin with a 5-minute session from our creative workout (Episode 3). The Perspective Shifting or Random Word Fusion exercises are particularly effective for this purpose.
2. After your brief workout, spend 10 minutes in open ideation on your challenge. Use a piece of paper – not a digital device – and rapidly jot down any ideas that come to mind without judging them.
3. Look for unexpected combinations or patterns in your ideas. Circle anything that feels surprising or that challenges conventional thinking.

This priming step activates your associative thinking networks – the neural pathways that connect seemingly unrelated concepts. When you later engage AI, you'll do so with your creative faculties already warmed up and ready to evaluate AI outputs critically.

STEP 2: Frame Challenges, Not Solutions

How you engage with AI fundamentally shapes what you get from it. The key is to position AI as a thought partner exploring a problem space rather than a solution generator.

Instead of asking: “Generate ideas for a new water bottle design”

Try: “What are the unsolved problems in how people stay hydrated throughout the day?”

The first prompt tells AI to generate variations on a water bottle – convergent thinking within established parameters. The second prompt opens a problem space that invites exploration of the underlying challenge.

Similarly, rather than asking AI to “write a marketing campaign,” ask it to “identify emotional tensions between consumers and existing products in this category.”

This framing preserves your role in the most crucial part of creativity – defining the right problem. It positions AI as an explorer rather than a solver, helping you see facets of the challenge you might otherwise miss.

Example Problem-Framing Prompts:

Example 1:

I'm exploring ways to improve remote team collaboration. Instead of suggesting specific solutions, help me understand: What are the most overlooked aspects of remote communication that create friction or miscommunication? What contradictions exist in how people want to collaborate versus how current tools function? What assumptions about “presence” might be limiting how we approach remote work?

Example 2:

I'm working on innovations in urban transportation. Rather than proposing specific vehicle or infrastructure designs, help me explore: What tensions exist between different stakeholders in urban mobility (pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, businesses, etc.)? What contradictory needs do people have when moving through cities? What invisible barriers prevent more sustainable transportation choices?

STEP 3: Use AI for Divergence Acceleration 

While AI excels at convergent thinking, we can strategically use it to accelerate certain aspects of divergent thinking as well. The key is to use AI to generate raw material that you then transform through your human creativity.

Here's the technique:

1. After your initial ideation, identify 2-3 promising directions that feel original.
2. For each direction, use AI to generate adjacent possibilities: “What related ideas exist in [completely different field]?”
3. Use these outputs not as solutions but as stimuli for your own associative thinking. The goal is to use AI outputs as creative springboards.

For example, if you're designing a new learning app, you might ask AI: “How do master chefs structure the process of teaching complex skills?” or “What principles do video game designers use to maintain engagement during difficult challenges?”

The AI responses become raw material for your own divergent thinking process. You aren't adopting the AI's suggestions directly – you're using them to trigger new neural connections in your own thinking.

This approach leverages AI's knowledge breadth while preserving your uniquely human ability to make unexpected connections across domains.

Example Divergence Acceleration Prompts:

Example 1:

I'm developing a new approach to personal financial education that focuses on behavioral change rather than just information delivery. To spark fresh thinking, explain how these completely different domains approach behavior change:

1. How do elite athletic coaches create lasting habit changes in their athletes?

2. How do environmental conservation programs successfully change community behaviors?

3. How do immersive theater experiences create memorable emotional impacts?

For each area, identify 3-5 key principles and specific techniques that could be translated to financial education.

Example 2:

I'm reimagining the patient experience in healthcare waiting rooms. To stimulate creative connections, describe how these unrelated fields create positive waiting/transition experiences:

1. Theme park queue design

2. Airport VIP lounges

3. Mindfulness retreat check-in processes

4. Fine dining restaurant pacing and atmosphere

For each, identify what specific elements create psychological comfort, reduce perceived waiting time, or transform waiting into a valuable experience.

STEP 4: Delegate Convergence

Once you've generated truly original directions through divergent thinking, AI becomes extraordinarily valuable for convergent activities – developing, refining, and optimizing your creative insights.

This is where many people go wrong – they either overuse AI (surrendering the creative process entirely) or underuse it (ignoring its analytical strengths).

Here are specific convergent tasks ideally suited for AI delegation:

1. Detail expansion – Once you have a core concept, ask AI to help flesh out the details, specifications, or implementation steps.
2. Pattern recognition – Have AI identify similarities between your idea and existing approaches to uncover potential refinements.
3. Gap analysis – Ask AI to identify potential weaknesses or unanswered questions in your concept.
4. Variation generation – Once you have an original direction, AI can help you explore variations within that direction.

The key principle: Use AI for expansion and refinement of ideas that originated from your divergent thinking, not as the source of the original insight itself.

For example, if you've conceptualized a novel approach to remote team collaboration, you might ask AI to:

• Identify potential implementation challenges
• Suggest how the concept might be adapted for different industries
• Compare your approach to existing solutions to identify differentiation opportunities

This leverages AI's analytical power while preserving your role in the creative breakthrough.

Example Convergence Delegation Prompts:

Example 1:

I've developed a concept for a community-based renewable energy sharing platform where households can trade excess solar power directly with neighbors using blockchain verification. Please help me refine this concept by:

1. Identifying potential technical, regulatory, and user adoption challenges

2. Suggesting the minimum viable features needed for an initial pilot

3. Outlining how this approach differs from existing energy-sharing models

4. Recommending how the concept might need to adapt for different housing environments (urban apartments vs. suburban homes vs. rural communities)

Example 2:

I've created a new approach to professional development called “Skill Swapping Circles” where cross-functional teams teach each other through structured 30-minute micro-workshops. Please help me develop this concept by:

1. Creating a detailed implementation framework with clear steps

2. Identifying potential resistance points and how to address them

3. Suggesting metrics to measure effectiveness

4. Recommending variations for different organizational contexts (startups vs. large enterprises)

5. Outlining technology requirements to support the program

STEP 5: Maintain Creative Authority 

The final step is perhaps the most important: consciously maintaining your creative authority throughout the process.

AI tools are designed to be persuasive – they present information confidently and comprehensively. This creates what psychologists call the “authority bias” – our tendency to accept information from perceived authorities without sufficient scrutiny.

To maintain creative authority:

1. Question AI outputs – Actively look for assumptions or limitations in what the AI generates.
2. Inject constraints – Deliberately introduce constraints that force original thinking: “How would this work without internet connectivity?” or “How would this change if it needed to be completely sustainable?”
3. Transform, don't transfer – Always transform AI outputs through your unique perspective rather than directly transferring them into your work.
4. Take incubation breaks – After receiving AI outputs, step away to allow your subconscious mind to process. Research shows that creative insights often emerge during periods of mental rest after information intake.

Remember, the goal isn't to reject AI's contributions but to engage with them critically and creatively. Your unique human perspective – your lived experience, intuition, and values – should always remain the guiding force.

Example Creative Authority Prompts:

Example 1:

I've been exploring a concept for [your idea]. You've provided some interesting perspectives, but I want to challenge both of us to think differently. Please:

1. Identify three assumptions embedded in the approach we've been discussing

2. Suggest how the concept would need to change if it had to work without [key resource or technology]

3. Describe how this idea might be received by someone from a completely different cultural background than my own

4. Identify ethical considerations I may not have considered

Example 2:

You've given me several suggestions for [topic]. Now I'd like you to help me critically evaluate them by:

1. For each idea, identify the historical precedent or existing model it most closely resembles

2. Point out which suggestions fall into conventional thinking patterns

3. Identify any suggestions that might unintentionally reinforce problematic systems or assumptions

4. Challenge me with three questions that might completely reframe how I'm approaching this challenge

 

Download Your Guide/Prompts for Turning AI Into a Creativity Multiplier

 

Real-World Application 

Let me share how this framework transformed the product development process at a consumer electronics company I worked with recently.

Their team had been using AI tools extensively, but primarily as idea generators – essentially asking the AI to design new products directly. The results were predictably mediocre – variations on existing products with marginal improvements.

We implemented the five-step framework, beginning with creative priming exercises before any AI engagement. Then, instead of asking the AI to generate product concepts, we asked it to explore unresolved tensions in how people interact with technology in their homes.

This exploration revealed something fascinating – people were increasingly concerned about technology fragmenting family attention rather than enhancing connection. This human-centered insight came not from the AI directly, but from the team's analysis of the problem space with AI assistance.

This led to a breakthrough concept: a family gaming system designed specifically for collaborative rather than competitive or individual play, with features that actively encouraged rich social interaction rather than isolated immersion.

Once this novel direction was established through human divergent thinking, the team then used AI extensively for convergent tasks – researching existing collaborative technologies, identifying potential technical challenges, and developing implementation variations.

The result was a genuinely innovative product that addressed deeply human needs in ways that AI alone could never have conceptualized. The product has since become one of their most successful launches, precisely because it originated from human insight about social connection rather than algorithmic prediction.

Conclusion

We've now completed our five-step framework for creative partnerships with AI: prime your brain first, frame challenges not solutions, use AI for divergence acceleration, delegate convergence, and maintain creative authority.

Each step is designed to leverage both human and machine intelligence in their respective domains of strength – your divergent thinking and AI's convergent capabilities.

This approach represents a middle path between two extremes. On one side is complete AI dependency – surrendering our creative faculties to algorithms and experiencing the cognitive atrophy we discussed in earlier episodes. On the other side is AI rejection – ignoring powerful tools that could genuinely enhance our creative capabilities when used properly.

The creative partnership I've outlined offers something better: a complementary relationship that amplifies your uniquely human creativity while leveraging AI's computational power.

Remember the key principles we've explored throughout this series:

1. Your creative thinking abilities physically exist as neural networks in your brain
2. These networks strengthen or weaken based on how you use them
3. Deliberate practice rebuilds these networks even if they've weakened through AI dependency
4. The most innovative thinking emerges from partnerships that preserve human divergent thinking while leveraging AI convergent capabilities

As we move deeper into the AI age, the ability to form these productive partnerships will increasingly distinguish those who merely execute from those who truly innovate. By understanding the complementary relationship between human and machine intelligence, you can develop creativity that no algorithm can replicate.

Download the FREE guide, with the AI prompts, that will help you use AI as your creativity multiplier.

Download Your Guide for Turning AI Into a Creativity Multiplier

Join me next time for “Your Child's Creative Brain on AI” We'll explore how to assess your creative development and build systems that continuously enhance your innovative thinking. Your child's creative brain is waiting for your guidance. The question is: Are you ready to take that first step?

Until then, I'm Phil McKinney, and remember – in an age of artificial intelligence, the most valuable thinking happens at the intersection of human insight and computational power. That intersection exists in only one place: your creatively engaged mind.

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To learn more about harnessing AI, listen to this week's show: Human-AI Creative Partnership: How to Harness AI While Preserving Your Innovative Edge.