# CREA: A Collaborative Multi-Agent Framework for Creative Image Editing and Generation

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.05306 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.05306/

## Key facts

- Cited by 14 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 7 Apr 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 14 of 14)

- [Mind-Brush: Integrating Agentic Cognitive Search and Reasoning into Image Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.01756/) (2026)
- [GEMS: Agent-Native Multimodal Generation with Memory and Skills](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.28088/) (2026)
- [SCOPE: Structured Decomposition and Conditional Skill Orchestration for Complex Image Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.08043/) (2026)
- [CAMEO: A Conditional and Quality-Aware Multi-Agent Image Editing Orchestrator](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.03156/) (2026)
- [CASPIAN: Online Detection and Attribution of Cascade Attacks in LLM Multi-Agent Systems via Cross-Channel Causal Monitoring](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.19240/) (2026)
- [CoEditor++: Instruction-based Visual Editing via Cognitive Reasoning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.05518/) (2026)
- [A Survey on Foundations and Frontiers of Multimodal Agentic Frameworks: Techniques and Applications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.20379/) (2026)
- [Agentic Visual Generation: From Generative Models to Agentic Control](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.06758/) (2026)
- [CREward: A Type-Specific Creativity Reward Model](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.19995/) (2025)
- [A Creative Agent is Worth a 64-Token Template](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.17895/) (2026)
- [OrchJail: Jailbreaking Tool-Calling Text-to-Image Agents by Orchestration-Guided Fuzzing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.07414/) (2026)
- [Personalization as Inverse Planning: Learning Latent Design Intents for Agentic Slide Generation via Structural Denoising](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.00407/) (2026)
- [RankT2I: A Submodular Framework for Discovering Interpretable and Diverse Semantics in Text-to-Image Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.14226/) (2026)
- [BluePixel: Toward Native 4K Agentic Image Editing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2610.19882/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Creativity in AI imagery remains a fundamental challenge, requiring not only the generation of visually compelling content but also the capacity to add novel, expressive, and artistically rich transformations to images. Unlike conventional editing tasks that rely on direct prompt-based modifications, creative image editing requires an autonomous, iterative approach that balances originality, coherence, and artistic intent. To address this, we introduce CREA, a novel multi-agent collaborative framework that mimics the human creative process. Our framework leverages a team of specialized AI agents who dynamically collaborate to conceptualize, generate, critique, and enhance images. Through extensive qualitative and quantitative evaluations, we demonstrate that CREA significantly outperforms state-of-the-art methods in diversity, semantic alignment, and creative transformation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to introduce the task of creative editing.