A new psychology study finds wisdom may shape whether creativity aligns with prosocial behavior.

Creativity alone does not reliably predict helping behavior in morally complex situations.

Traits linked to wisdom may guide creative thinking toward socially constructive outcomes.

Curiously, I have been speaking and corresponding with a few data scientists and experts in artificial intelligence (AI) lately. What’s curious is the common theme: These people are immersed in building powerful technological tools, but they want to keep their humanity, if not their wonder, in the process.

They’ve got me thinking. If creativity and innovation are accelerating faster than ever, what ensures they serve the greater good? I don’t have the answers as much as I have questions.

But one recent psychological study suggests one direction is wisdom.

What is wisdom in practice with creativity?

According to neuropsychiatrist Dilip Jeste, traits of wisdom include prosocial attitudes, self-awareness and reflection, fostering emotional stability with happiness, social decision-making, and balancing decisiveness with uncertainty.

These are not traits we normally associate with innovation. But new research suggests they may shape whether creativity benefits others or not.

Researchers found that wisdom functions as a moral compass for creativity. Across two studies, researchers found that creativity did not reliably predict prosocial behavior on its own. In one experiment, highly........

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