To tap into artificial intelligence or not; that's the question seemingly every industry has been asking themselves in the past year — from healthcare and finance to media and entertainment.
When ChatGPT garnered mainstream attention in November 2022, it started an "AI craze," according to Nick Chen, the cofounder of link-in-bio platform Hype.
Since then, hundreds of AI tools have popped up, helping with anything from writing cover letters during job searches to translating text into different languages.
When it comes to the creator economy, some companies have made such advancements that experts like Amber Venz Box, founder of social shopping platform LTK, don't see how the industry can survive without it going forward.
"AI is revolutionizing the creator landscape, helping us creators with everything from discovery to efficiency to even how we evaluate our success and so much more. It's an exciting era," she told Business Insider.
Although the rise of generative-AI tools ignited a fear that content creation may soon become redundant — or be entirely taken over by AI-generated characters like models and influencers — most industry experts think that scenario is unlikely.
"The very idea of using AI-generated images and videos is at odds with what is proven to work on TikTok and Instagram — raw authenticity," Chen said, explaining that online audiences enjoy seeing creators' imperfect moments, like mistakes while filming or messy rooms. "Gen AI only makes the creator less relatable, not more so."
Not only that — AI is still in its infancy, and many tools don't deliver on their promises.
"There was so much hype around the tasks AI could take over, but a lot of tools still need to be refined and improved before they become dependable solutions for marketers or creators," said Lia Haberman, influencer-marketing expert and instructor at UCLA Extension.
Instead, the real value of AI may lie in speeding up processes, increasing productivity, and eliminating time-consuming tasks like video and audio editing, dubbing, or project management.
"AI is creating more of a level playing field for creators," said Lindsey Gamble, associate director of influencer innovation at influencer-marketing firm Mavrck. "With the increasing number of AI startups, creators have numerous ways to speed up their processes and workflow. Previously, creators needed significant time and financial resources for such tasks."
However, navigating the sea of tools that have cropped up in the past year can be challenging.
To understand which companies are moving the needle and providing the most value in the influencer industry, BI spoke with 18 creator-economy experts — including creators, managers, marketers, and video editors.