Writing with one hand or several hands: the case of collaboration between artificial intelligence and the human brain

Abstract

This article examines the evolving relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence (AI) in literary production, challenging the enduring myth of the solitary author. Drawing on a qualitative literature review and contemporary case studies, it situates AI-assisted writing within a long historical continuum of collaborative practices, from oral traditions and medieval anonymity to nineteenth-century co-authorship and constrained writing movements such as Oulipo. The study identifies key models of collaboration—sequential, horizontal, stratified, and reactive—and demonstrates how these frameworks illuminate current human–machine interactions. It further analyses the diverse applications of AI in poetry, prose, scriptwriting, stylistic adaptation, and publishing workflows, highlighting both efficiencies and creative possibilities. At the same time, the article critically addresses tensions surrounding originality, authorship, copyright, and ethical responsibility, as well as the risks of homogenisation and market-driven content production. Through real-world examples of hybrid writing practices, the paper argues that AI functions less as a replacement for human authors than as a catalyst for creative amplification. Ultimately, it advocates for a balanced model of co-creation grounded in human oversight, cultural sensitivity, and the development of AI literacy, positioning human–machine collaboration as a transformative but historically rooted paradigm in literary evolution.