Content Creators Eager to Use Generative AI, According to New Report from Lightricks

AI has been a hot topic in the media in recent months, but it’s hard to distinguish between hype and reality. As is often the case with leaps in technology, talk of the potential can be overblown, with the actual number of adopters being much lower.

This does not seem to be the case when it comes to generative AI, based on a report from Lightricks entitled The Creator Economy: Building Business Through Technology and Brand Deals. The data was compiled in partnership with YouGov, who surveyed 1000 creators and aspiring creators aged 18 and up.

Lightricks is one of the largest companies in the world that specializes in tools for the creator economy. They have built photo and video editing apps such as Facetune, Videoleap and Photoleap and subsequently acquired the creator collaboration platform Popular Pays.

Many of the company’s apps prominently feature AI-powered tools for generating and editing visuals, and Lightricks’s growth suggests, unto itself, how eager content creators are to adopt AI. The survey results do confirm this idea, with 92% of respondents saying that they are already familiar with generative AI tools. Among professional creators, 62% said they intend to use these tools, and 68% of aspiring creators said the same.

Brands and audiences react positively

Interestingly, it appears that both brands and audiences are receptive to AI generated content. The data implies that creators who worry using modern tools will make them come across as inauthentic may find their fears unfounded.

Approximately 71% of creators said their followers responded positively to AI-generated content. A key aspect of this is the manner in which the latest technology enables creators to produce strong content while keeping their own unique style and voice.

Brands are also keen on AI-generated content from creators, with 56% of them specifically asking for it from their partners. About 56% of creators themselves note they have worked with a brand that has asked them to use AI in the last two years.

These numbers suggest creators are able to use AI tools and both build their audience and land brand deals.

Generative AI capabilities

The impact of AI on creators is not lost on the people behind the survey. Zeev Farbman, CEO and co-founder of Lightricks, is bullish, saying in a statement that “The power of generative AI will energize the Creator Economy, with AI-based tools and platforms accelerating a creator’s ability to unlock their full potential.”

While many are familiar with ChatGPT’s ability to generate text for creators on word-based platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter, the transformational effect also spreads to photo and video content.

Lightricks has introduced a text-to-image generator within their app Photoleap. This enables users to quickly create unique images, edit them, and add them to their creations. Other features include smart removal of unwanted objects from images and videos, total transformation of scenes and adding motion effects to still imagery.

Increasing the bottom line

The primary underlying reason behind the rapid adoption of AI tools, however, is likely the extent to which content creation has evolved from being a hobby to a viable career.

According to the new survey, many of those who are not currently full-time content creators intend to go full time in the near future. However, income is an obstacle to this ambition, with 42% of creators revealing that content creation accounts for less than a quarter of their overall income.

The Lightricks team is eager to see how AI tools could change these statistics significantly in the coming years. “These new tools will streamline workflows, enhance skills, and create more effective money making opportunities,” said Farbman. “It’s a technological revolution that will not only change the way we create and consume content, but enable an entire new generation of entrepreneurs to thrive in the digital age.”

There is further evidence that there is light on the horizon for creators. Among creators, 39% say that despite current economic conditions, they have landed more brand deals, and 40% of creators say they’ve earned more from brand deals in the past year.

AI allows creators to create more innovative content, to do so faster, and without needing to invest large sums of money in expensive equipment. For cash-strapped creators just getting started, this is a boon which could mean the creator economy grows even more rapidly than previously predicted.