YouTube report says 72% of young uploaders already use AI on their videos

YouTube’s Culture and Trends team has published a report called “Human Creativity and AI”, based on a year of trend research and surveys run with NRG among online users aged 14 to 44.

The headline figure: 72% of the uploaders surveyed say they use AI on their videos or images. YouTube’s reading is that much of this is personal rather than purely practical. More than two-thirds of people who post AI videos say they have featured themselves in them, and 61% of recent uploaders say they are interested in using AI to insert themselves into content.

The report points to trends such as “hug your younger self” videos, where people animate childhood photos, and to hobbyists turning fashion sketches into runway looks or building fan fiction worlds.

For creators choosing tools, the takeaway is that self-insertion and personal storytelling are now mainstream uses, not niche ones. The full report is on YouTube’s Culture and Trends site.