YouTube study: most video posters want to put themselves in AI video.
A survey commissioned by YouTube finds that 61% of young Americans who post videos are interested in using AI to put themselves into their content. Among those who already post AI videos, more than two-thirds say they appear in them.
The findings come from YouTube's Culture & Trends series. Research firm NRG surveyed nearly 700 people in the US aged 14 to 44 who had posted a video online in the previous 12 months. According to YouTube, 72% of these uploaders say they use AI on videos or images. Social Media Today reported the study on 21 October.
YouTube describes several uses: digital costume changes, in which people picture themselves as a doctor, judge or superhero; placing themselves in cinematic scenes or video games; doubling themselves on screen; and turning rough sketches into photoreal mock-ups, including clothing designs. It also points to a group it calls "AI auteurs", who use the tools to build whole fictional worlds.
The sample is small and US-only, and the published material does not give fieldwork dates or a margin of error. Putting real people into generated video also raises questions about consent, likeness and misleading content that the report does not address.
Marketers in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, where YouTube and short video reach young audiences at scale, can take one practical point from this. Self-insertion is becoming a mainstream creative format, so brand prompts and challenges that invite people to star in their own AI scenes could work well. Usage rights and disclosure should be agreed with creators before such campaigns launch.
Why it matters
AI self-insertion is becoming a mainstream format among young creators, opening new participation ideas for brands, along with consent and disclosure questions.
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