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YouTube AI study: 72% of surveyed video posters use AI

According to YouTube, 72% of surveyed video posters use AI for images or videos. Why the sample is limited and what brands can learn from it.

From Social Rocket editorial team

This text was created with AI assistance and reviewed editorially before publication. All sources are linked below.

Stock image: video production with camera and red and blue light – AI as a tool for creators
Photo: Jakob Owens / Unsplash

72 percent of the video posters surveyed in a YouTube study, aged between 14 and 44, say they use AI when working on videos or images. The finding comes from the 20 October 2026 Culture & Trends report “Human Creativity and AI”. However, the figure represents a limited survey group, not all YouTube creators or the German population.

What the 72 percent measures – and what it doesn't

YouTube surveyed, together with NRG, people aged 14 to 44 who are active online, and additionally examined generative video trends. The official footnote cites a sample of 694 people for an underlying US survey from April 2026. The percentage refers to respondents who publish videos themselves, and to AI use for videos or images – not exclusively to AI-generated videos.

Also noteworthy: according to YouTube, more than two thirds of respondents who post AI videos had already featured themselves in such content. 61 percent of the video posters surveyed said they were interested in inserting themselves into content via AI. These are self-reported answers, not measured conversion rates, not representative statements about German creators, and not evidence for the entire YouTube user base.

The more important trend: AI as an extension of personal identity

For social media teams, the interesting insight lies not only in the usage rate. YouTube describes formats that remain tied to a person's identity – for example videos in which adults meet AI-animated versions of their younger selves, as well as AI visualisations for cosplay, fashion designs or fantasy worlds. Here the technology serves as a production tool for personal stories and niche interests, not as a replacement for a recognisably human perspective.

Brands should therefore not generally demand more AI assets. What matters more is why a particular format appeals to viewers: Is there a genuine experience, traceable authorship, a connection to the community and a distinct point of view? A useful comparison is which tasks AI already takes over in creator workflows.

Three useful tests for creator and brand teams

Creation: Test one version of the content with classic production against one with AI-supported scenes, but keep the story, publishing time and target audience as constant as possible. Document production time, approval cycles and actual viewer retention.

Trust: Check AI-generated people, brand motifs, voices or recreated scenes for consent, usage rights and platform labelling. The fact that a trend is popular does not justify free use of other people's identities.

Success: Views alone say little; comments, returning viewers, qualified leads and, for paid content, incremental impact provide more context. The YouTube report on the interplay between niche and mainstream and our analysis of the Gen Alpha perspective on AI advertising show why large reach and credible community value are not the same.

Conclusion: The YouTube figures point to widespread AI assistance within a particular creator sample. No global AI quota obligations can be derived for German marketing practice. The more promising experiment is to use generative tools without sacrificing creative identity and transparent communication.

Sources: YouTube Culture & Trends, “Human Creativity and AI” (20.10.2026); Social Media Today, analysis (21.10.).

Illustrative image: Jakob Owens / Unsplash.