Creativity and Markov Decision Processes

TL;DR

This paper explores how formal models of creativity, based on Boden's theory, can be mapped onto Markov Decision Processes to better evaluate and understand AI creativity.

Contribution

It establishes formal mappings between Boden's creativity theory and MDPs, providing a framework to analyze creative processes in AI.

Findings

Mapped three types of creative processes to MDPs

Identified opportunities for creative aberrations in MDPs

Discussed criteria for selecting effective mappings

Abstract

Creativity is already regularly attributed to AI systems outside specialised computational creativity (CC) communities. However, the evaluation of creativity in AI at large typically lacks grounding in creativity theory, which can promote inappropriate attributions and limit the analysis of creative behaviour. While CC researchers have translated psychological theory into formal models, the value of these models is limited by a gap to common AI frameworks. To mitigate this limitation, we identify formal mappings between Boden's process theory of creativity and Markov Decision Processes (MDPs), using the Creative Systems Framework as a stepping stone. We study three out of eleven mappings in detail to understand which types of creative processes, opportunities for (aberrations), and threats to creativity (uninspiration) could be observed in an MDP. We conclude by discussing quality criteria for the selection of such mappings for future work and applications.