How AI is reshaping the creator’s ecosystem
AI image and video generation tools are redefining how visual content is created, distributed, and experienced. What began as a niche technological experiment has rapidly evolved into a global movement reshaping careers, industries, and creative workflows. Today, creators of all backgrounds—professional, aspiring, or hobbyist—are finding new opportunities through AI tools that unlock speed, accessibility, and scale.
In this section, before exploring the new tools and techniques, we'll briefly touch on how the creator business environment is evolving. It is important for all creators to understand what's going on to shape their careers moving forward. We'll begin with the global scale of participation and then examine the fast-changing landscape of tools and creative roles.
A global creative economy fueled by visual demand
The image and short video creation market is no longer a niche—it's a $147 billion global industry. In 2024, the largest portion of that spend comes from advertising and marketing, which accounts for an estimated $110 billion alone, representing 75% of the total market. Other key sectors include design services ($12B), commerce and packaging ($10B), publishing and media ($9B), film and TV entertainment ($3B), and corporate and internal content ($1.5B).
These figures illustrate a powerful truth: visual content is foundational to how information is communicated, products are marketed, and entertainment is delivered. And this demand is only growing as short-form content and visual storytelling continue to dominate digital channels.
AI is accelerating this momentum. Tools like Firefly, Midjourney, and Runway ML are making it easier for creators and companies alike to produce content tailored to each sector—whether it’s generating ad-ready visuals, packaging concepts, branded media assets, or cinematic sequences. What once took hours of manual effort can now be achieved in minutes, and at a scale previously unimaginable. As visual demand surges, AI is enabling both speed and precision, helping creators meet growing expectations while reducing costs.
From hobbyist to pro: How AI skills unlock your next step
The creator landscape is evolving rapidly, and generative AI is at the center of that change. From design to video production, AI tools are reshaping what it means to be a creator—and redefining what it takes to succeed. No matter where you are in your creative journey, understanding and using AI tools is becoming a critical skill.
The ecosystem can be seen as a three-tiered pyramid:
Professional creators (2–5 million) represent the high-value top tier. These are full-time designers, artists, and video producers who deliver polished, monetized content. For them, AI is both an opportunity and a threat. On one hand, it can dramatically enhance productivity—speeding up revisions, generating concept visuals, or automating repetitive tasks. On the other hand, it raises the bar. Clients and audiences now expect faster turnarounds, greater visual variety, and higher volumes of content. Professionals who don’t evolve with these new standards risk falling behind. In this competitive climate, mastering AI becomes not just a tool for growth, but a shield against obsolescence.
Part-time or “Pro-Am” creators (50–75 million) are the ambitious middle layer. These individuals earn side income from creative work or pursue it seriously alongside other commitments. They are often early adopters of AI and are well-positioned to benefit—if they move quickly. For this group, AI offers a major edge: it reduces time spent on execution, helps explore more visual styles, and allows for testing and iterating at scale. However, as more people gain access to powerful tools, it also becomes harder to stand out. To stay competitive, Pro-Am creators must blend smart tool use with distinctive vision and storytelling.
Amateurs and hobbyists (250 million+) make up the broad foundation of the creator economy. They may not be earning stable income yet, but AI is opening doors. What once required expensive software and hours of practice can now be done in a few clicks. Whether creating content for social media, personal projects, or online communities, AI enables hobbyists to produce higher-quality work with far less friction. For many, this means a real chance to turn a passion into a profession. With the right skills and platforms, a path to monetization is no longer out of reach.
Across all tiers, the message is clear: AI is not just changing the creative landscape—it’s reshaping the rules of participation. Those who adapt, learn, and integrate these tools into their process will thrive. Those who don’t may find themselves outpaced. Whether your goal is to grow professionally, level up a side hustle, or simply create better and faster, investing in AI skills is one of the smartest moves any creator can make today.
The creative tool market is changing fast—and AI is leading the way
The tools people use to make images and videos are going through major changes. What used to be a space led by just a few big names is now filled with many fast-growing platforms—thanks to AI. Whether you’re a designer, marketer, or casual creator, these changes affect what tools you use, how fast you can work, and what skills are now in demand.
Big players are moving quickly to add AI
Adobe is still one of the biggest names for creative professionals. With over 37 million people paying for Creative Cloud, Adobe has long been the go-to for photo editing, design, and video. Now, they’re adding AI directly into their apps through a tool called Firefly, which helps with tasks like removing objects, changing styles, and creating new images from text.
Canva, on the other hand, has grown to over 220 million monthly users by focusing on simple drag-and-drop design. It started as a beginner-friendly tool but is now adding AI features like Magic Design and text-to-image generation. Canva also bought Leonardo.ai, a popular AI image tool with 15–19 million users, to boost its creative power even more.
Figma, used mainly by UI and UX designers, has also become a top choice, especially for teams working together. With around 4 million users, it’s another example of how newer platforms are carving out their space.
New AI-first tools are growing fast
Platforms built from the start around AI are quickly gaining users and changing what’s possible:
- Midjourney is one of the most popular AI art tools. It now has around 1 to 2 million people using it every day, with over 20 million total users. It’s known for creating detailed, artistic images just from text descriptions.
- Stability AI, the group behind Stable Diffusion, offers free and open-source image generation. Developers and hobbyists use it to build their own apps and tools.
- Leonardo.ai, before being acquired by Canva, focused on generating images for game design. It gained millions of users in a short time by offering high-quality, flexible results.
- Runway ML is changing how creators make and edit videos. You can now generate or change video clips with AI—saving hours of manual editing.
Tech giants are getting involved too
AI leaders like OpenAI and Google are adding creative tools to their platforms:
- ChatGPT now includes built-in image generation, allowing users to brainstorm, draft, and generate visuals all in one place.
- Google’s Gemini also supports text, images, and video creation, and is being added to tools people already use, like Docs or Slides.
From images to motion: AI’s next leap is video
As we’ve just seen, AI is transforming every part of the creative tool market—from design to illustration, and now even branding and collaboration. But while AI-generated images have become common across platforms like Midjourney, Firefly, and Canva, a new shift is already underway: AI is moving from still images to full-motion video.
This next step is exciting and important. Video is one of the most powerful and widely used content formats online—but it’s also the most complex and time-consuming to produce. Editing, animation, and visual effects all take time, skill, and expensive software. That’s why the growth of AI video tools marks a major moment for creators.
Platforms like Runway ML are at the forefront of this trend. They allow users to generate or edit video clips with just a few text instructions—no camera, no timeline scrubbing, no professional editing skills required. Whether you want to turn a still image into a video, extend a scene with motion, or remove background elements from a clip, these tools can do it in seconds.
The move from image to video is similar to what we saw when AI image tools first became popular: early adopters gained a huge advantage. Now, creators who already understand how to prompt, edit, and fine-tune AI images are perfectly positioned to take on video. Many of the same skills apply, and the tools are evolving quickly.
While AI video generation is still in its early days compared to images, the pace of progress is fast. What feels experimental now may become standard practice in the very near future. If you’re looking to grow as a creator—or stay ahead in your field—this is the time to start learning how AI video tools work and how they can fit into your creative process.
AI is changing the way we create—from images to video, from casual projects to professional work. The demand for visual content is growing fast, and so are the tools that make it easier and faster to produce.
Whether you're a beginner or already working in the field, learning how to use AI is becoming essential. It’s not just about keeping up—it’s about unlocking new creative possibilities and staying ahead.
In the next sections, we’ll guide you through the key tools and skills you need to get started. The future of creativity is here—and now is the time to be part of it.