创新 (chuàng xīn) focuses on introducing new ideas, methods, or products — it's the core word for 'innovation' in business and technology. 创造 (chuàng zào) is broader, meaning 'to create' something new (a record, a product, a situation), while 创作 (chuàng zuò) is specifically for artistic or literary works. 创新 can be a verb or a noun; the others are mainly verbs.