YouTube Study: 61% of Creators Want AI to Insert Them Into Videos

YouTube has released a new report examining how creators are bringing artificial intelligence into their workflows, and the findings point to rapid adoption. Published as part of its Culture & Trends series, the study was commissioned from research firm NRG, which surveyed nearly 700 people aged 14 to 44 who had posted a video online in the past 12 months.

Creators Want to Star in Their Own AI Videos

The most striking finding is that 61% of respondents in the U.S. study said they were interested in using AI to insert themselves into video content. More than two-thirds of those who have already posted AI videos said they featured themselves, making it the most popular use of YouTube’s AI tools among the group. Overall, 72% of surveyed uploaders said they use AI on videos or images.

YouTube says the trend lets people “play at being the director” of their own lives, from comedy skits to period pieces based on family history. One popular format involves digital costume changes, where people imagine themselves as doctors, judges or superheroes.

From Fashion Concepts to Cinematic Universes

Beyond self-insertion, creators are using generative AI to explore personal passions. Aspiring fashion designers are bringing concepts to life, while others place themselves in video game scenes or turn sketches into photoreal mock-ups. YouTube also points to a new class of “AI auteurs” building entire cinematic worlds from their imagination.

The trend is not without concerns. Placing generative versions of people into clips could fuel misinformation or misleading depictions, and the platform must balance a growing flow of low-quality AI content against the smaller share of genuinely valuable storytelling. Whether the creative gains outweigh those risks remains to be seen.