What is the materialistic explanation for original thoughts and creativity?

The question is as the title says. I'm currently studying philosophy, so I'm prone to ask more philosophical questions than most people. I'm not saying the materialistic explanation is wrong, I'm just looking for an explanation. <br><br>For a little background on the question: I'm currently reading a book with the following premise: The world is in a huge problems. It is on the brink of collapse because of overpopulation, overconsumption of fossil fuels and as a consequence of these two things, we might be heading towards another ice age. <br><br>The premise is that our only hope is an AI one. This AI would subsequently win a war against the people that are still trying to burn fossil fuel and stop the impending ice age. <br><br>The book is a conversation between three people with two different points of views. The one convinced that the world would collapse and that humanity has no other chance than an AI war. The other one is unsure of the impending doom of humanity. I personally am with the unsure one. <br><br>He asked repeatedly how one could come up with such a plan. The answer to this was always that materialism doesn't need an origin for thoughts to exist. He can think of it without there needing to be a source for that specific thought.<br><br>In general I'm not convinced that the materialistic worldview is the right one. This is just the prime example I have come across so far, of why the world works better with a spiritual component in my opinion.