AI & Creators: The Future of Tech and Creativity

From entertainment to news to music to learning, the move from linear to streaming has signaled a massive shift in the way content is consumed. With the emergence of generative AI, we are now at another inflection point - in how content is created.

Given YouTube’s unique position at the intersection of creativity and technology, we wanted to get a deeper look at how GenAI impacts creator businesses today and in the years to come. To do that, YouTube launched our most extensive survey to-date into how the global creator economy is using GenAI. The findings provide a helpful lens for policymakers looking to harness the benefits of GenAI for their creative sectors while ensuring that new tech is built in service of creative jobs, not as a replacement for human creativity. Here’s what we found:

GenAI creativity isn't coming, it's already here

Creators are quick to embrace new technologies. Just as they led the way with streaming, creators are at the forefront of GenAI creation, with the low barrier to entry allowing them to experiment in their creation process. In our global survey, Radius found that a remarkable 92% of creators are already using GenAI tools, with 74% of respondents saying they know a great deal or a fair amount about the technology.

Why the shift? One reason is simple: time. Time is one of a creator's most valuable resources, and GenAI tools have the capability to simplify tasks that once took hours or even days. Our research indicates that creators are becoming aware of this potential workflow accelerator — according to the global survey conducted by Radius, 29% of creators say that one of their top three reasons for using GenAI is to save time.

Big screen quality, small scale budgets: Creators level up content with GenAI

Creators have big ideas, and GenAI can bring them to life without the need for big budgets or backing from traditional media. GenAI tools can boost content quality by refining visuals, optimizing audio, suggesting enhancements that support their creative goals — and more. According to Radius, 89% of creators believe GenAI tools will likely provide greater access to special effects, production design, and cinematography to even the playing field between independent creators and big studios.

Lifting these traditional barriers could mean higher quality content for audiences, made at a fraction of the cost and in half the time. Radius found that 26% of creators say that one of their top three reasons for using GenAI is to produce higher quality content.

These improvements with GenAI could propel creators to new heights. Successful creators have built businesses that generate millions of dollars of annual revenue and support hundreds of well-paying jobs. Imagine what other creators could achieve with the right tools.

Creator businesses go global with GenAI

YouTube reaches billions of users in over 100 countries and across 80 languages every month. While some creators manage to capitalize on this reach by growing their global fanbase, language barriers still remain a challenge for many others looking to cultivate followings that cut across these dividing lines.

That’s where GenAI tools come in; helping creators automate translations, captioning, dubbing other time-consuming tasks that dramatically slow down content production but are critical to reaching global audiences. Radius found that 87% of creators believe GenAI will likely enable creators to more easily and effectively export their content to countries around the world with GenAI-dubbing over the next 2 to 3 years.

Creators want clear lines & responsible use of GenAI

As we look towards the future, our top priority is protecting our YouTube community. Our Community Guidelines support self expression while shielding viewers from harmful content. It’s what’s allowed us to foster the rich and diverse community that defines YouTube today.

The research made clear that creators see the upside of GenAI, but not without guardrails. According to Radius, 74% of creators want guidelines for responsibly posting GenAI content to social media and video platforms.

Listening to feedback from stakeholders and members of our community has always been essential to our responsibility efforts and allows us to get ahead of emerging issues. We’ve made meaningful updates to our policies and systems within the last year, and will continue to build on that work.