For higher or worse, AI is altering the business, which suggests even influencer advertising and marketing and creators are going to need to adapt.
Which is why Digiday has charted what influencer advertising and marketing is anticipated to seem like subsequent yr, how creators count on it to remodel their panorama and whether or not or not customers are actually on board with any of it.
Entrepreneurs are open to influencer advertising and marketing operations changing into automated with AI
We noticed the business in uproar over the quite a few headlines again in summer time about Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg stating that by the top of 2026, the complete advert course of will likely be automated. Nevertheless it seems, quite a few entrepreneurs truly suppose creator advertising and marketing operations must be automated too.
The truth is, 35% of manufacturers and 51% of business leaders responded with “strongly agree” when requested if they’re in favour of absolutely automating influencer advertising and marketing with AI, in keeping with CreatorIQ’s The State of Creator Advertising 2025-2026 report. An additional 34% of manufacturers and 36% of business leaders mentioned they considerably agree with the assertion.
On the flip aspect, solely 6% of manufacturers and 1% of business leaders “strongly disagree” that influencer advertising and marketing must be absolutely automated with AI.
Most entrepreneurs haven’t any intention of diving in with digital influencers, creator clones or avatars subsequent yr
Whereas AI does have a spot, it doesn’t imply it ought to change every part on the subject of influencer advertising and marketing.
When entrepreneurs have been requested about their influencer advertising and marketing plans in 2026, solely 9% mentioned they’re planning to associate with digital influencers, whereas solely 2% mentioned they intend on creating their very own avatars, and associate with a digital clone of a creator, in keeping with Linqia’s 2026 State of Influencer Advertising report. Unsurprisingly, the bulk (89%) of respondents mentioned they aren’t planning to undertake or do any of the above choices subsequent yr.
Creators count on AI to proceed to remodel the business over the subsequent couple of years
Much like entrepreneurs, a whole lot of creators have already included AI into their workflow. However they don’t consider AI’s work stops there.
Over 1 / 4 (28%) of creators mentioned they consider the subsequent two to a few years will likely be formed by AI-generated content material, in keeping with Epidemic Sounds’ The Way forward for the Creator Economic system Report 2025. An additional 27% of creators additionally predicted that the business will see the rise of AI-powered creator marketplaces, which can auto-match them with manufacturers, licensing or briefs – and people forms of marketplaces are already beginning to take form by way of TikTok and YouTube, per the report.
Moreover, 27% of creators who responded to the survey did additionally predict that AI instruments will change editors, managers or inventive collaborators over the subsequent two to a few years as properly.
Shoppers are involved about manufacturers utilizing AI for content material
Whereas there’s presently very combined evaluations throughout the board on AI, which may be very a lot in its hype interval, customers nonetheless have quite a few issues round how manufacturers present up on social media.
Simply over half (52%) of customers surveyed mentioned that together with mishandling their private information, their prime concern about manufacturers on social media is manufacturers posting AI-generated content material with out disclosing it, in keeping with Sprout Social’s pulse survey: The State of Social Media in 2025.
Shoppers stay skeptical about AI and creator content material
Given the quantity of AI slop which appears to be showing throughout social media proper now, it’s no shock that there’s nonetheless an enormous quantity of skepticism round it, even on the subject of creator content material.
In response to information from Billion Greenback boy’s upcoming report, Muse Two, The Actual Influence of AI on the Creator Economic system, this yr, round 1 / 4 (26%) of customers choose generative AI creator content material to conventional creator content material, in comparison with 60% who have been requested about their preferences in 2023.
Equally, round a 3rd (32%) of customers consider AI has negatively disrupted the creator economic system, in comparison with simply 18% of respondents who have been requested about their views again in 2023, per the info. When requested in the event that they suppose AI has positively disrupted the creator economic system, 34% consider it had again in 2023, however that’s dipped to simply 31% in 2025.
