Since 2021, with the introduction of ChatGPT, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly impacted FinTech digital communities. This paper examines AI’s influence on creativity and innovation in digital FinTech communities, comparing developments in China and the United States through comprehensive literature review. The research analyzes how AI technologies reshape community engagement, creative processes, and innovative practices in these leading economies’ digital financial sectors. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study examines 50 user responses from US FinTech digital communities, comparing engagement patterns before and after ChatGPT’s introduction in 2021. Additionally, it contrasts these findings with parallel Chinese FinTech communities, investigating changes in creative problem-solving and innovative thinking. Results demonstrate distinct differences in AI adoption and utilization between US and Chinese FinTech communities, while highlighting common themes in creative processes and community dynamics. Findings highlight differences in AI adoption between the United States and China, while identifying common challenges like job displacement. Key themes include AI as an economic catalyst, changing labor dynamics, ethical considerations, and evolving regulations. The research’s novelty lies in its comparative temporal analysis of pre- and post-ChatGPT periods and its focus on FinTech digital communities as innovation hubs. The findings offer valuable insights for understanding AI’s impact on digital financial communities and have significant implications for FinTech policymaking, community management strategies, and future research in digital innovation.