The Dynamic Creativity of Proto-artifacts in Generative Computational Co-creation

Abstract: This paper explores the attributes necessary to determine the creative merit of intermediate artifacts produced during a computational co-creative process (CCC) in which a human and an artificial intelligence system collaborate in the generative phase of a creative project. In an active listening experiment, subjects with diverse musical training (N=43) judged unfinished pieces composed by the New Electronic Assistant (NEA). The results revealed that a two-attribute definition based on the value and novelty of an artifact (e.g., Corazza's effectiveness and novelty) suffices to assess unfinished work leading to innovative products, instead of Boden's classic three-attribute definition of creativity (value, novelty, and surprise). These findings reduce the creativity metrics needed in CCC processes and simplify the evaluation of the numerous unfinished artifacts generated by computational creative assistants.