Generative AI as a driver of organizational creativity: Evidence from the absorptive capacity perspective

Résumé

Research background: Generative AI (GenAI) is increasingly embedded in organizational routines for searching information, developing ideas, and solving problems. However, creativity gains are not automatic. What appears to differentiate outcomes is the organization’s capacity to recognize valuable AI outputs, interpret them, combine them with existing knowledge, and convert them into novel solutions. This learning-oriented capability aligns with absorptive capacity and may explain why similar GenAI investments produce uneven creativity results across firms. Research background: Generative AI (GenAI) is increasingly integrated into organizational routines for information search, idea development, problem-solving, and experimentation. Yet creativity gains from GenAI adoption are not automatic. Firms differ in their ability to recognize valuable AI-generated outputs, interpret them critically, combine them with existing knowledge, and transform them into original and useful solutions. This capability corresponds to absorptive capacity (AC) and may explain why similar investments in GenAI produce uneven organizational creativity (OC) outcomes. Purpose of the article: This study examines the relationship between GenAI use and OC from the perspective of AC. It investigates whether AC operates as the main mechanism through which AI-mediated knowledge is translated into creative outcomes. The study also tests whether GenAI has a direct association with OC beyond the capability-building pathway, reflecting its potential to accelerate ideation, broaden exploration, and support experimentation. Methods: The empirical analysis is based on survey data collected from 364 Moroccan firms. The proposed relationships are tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The model estimates the direct relationship between GenAI use and OC, as well as the indirect relationship mediated by AC. Findings & value added: The findings show that GenAI use is positively associated with AC and that stronger AC is associated with higher OC. GenAI also exhibits a direct positive relationship with OC, suggesting that generative technologies may support faster idea generation, wider exploration of alternatives, and more rapid iterative refinement. The study contributes to the literature by developing and testing a capability-based explanation of GenAI-enabled creativity at the firm level. It indicates that the creative value of GenAI depends not only on access to generative tools but also on organizational routines that enable firms to absorb, evaluate, recombine, and exploit AI-mediated knowledge.

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