The creative process of generating multiple distinct solutions, perspectives, or possibilities before evaluating or narrowing them. Coined by psychologist J.P.
Guilford, divergent thinking is the opposite of premature convergence — the tendency to lock onto the first reasonable answer. In strategic decision-making, divergent thinking expands the option space and prevents anchoring bias.
Multi-expert AI systems are structurally designed for divergent thinking: each expert independently generates its own analysis, ensuring that the full range of perspectives is explored before synthesis begins.