Featured image by Aerps via Unsplash.
In the past year, AI-generated video content has become more prominent than ever. Even if the video is not directly AI-generated, AI is becoming a part of the process for many pieces of content being produced today. This can be through creating a strong title, idea development, determining posting times, and general social media strategy.
Social media platforms have already taken the use of an AI-generated content label very seriously to protect consumers from being misled by this content. However, with AI being used in more ways than just text-to-video in content creation, are creators responsible for being transparent about their AI use behind the scenes?
How Is AI Being Used?
It’s important to establish how creators are using AI in ways that are less obvious. Idea development is one of the more common instances of this. AI can be a great tool to come up with content based on what is trending. You have likely seen many videos on your feed in the past week that were originally inspired by a text prompt on an AI site. Even if humans made the video, should they be transparent in their use of AI to develop the idea? Being honest about this could eventually change the way that we use artificial intelligence by inspiring viewers.
Another example of AI use from content creators is developing a social media strategy. Many creators have openly announced that their social media growth plan was created by Claude, Gemini, or another AI platform. The ability for a creator to grow an audience makes them credible to future brand deals, employers, and other opportunities. If their strategy was not created by them, are they responsible for informing their audience of this?
One of the last examples of AI in the content creation process is creators letting AI shape the final product of their content. This can include letting AI create the hook, editing, and going as far as creating the entire script for the video. Creators will say words that aren’t even their ideas. They will cut from frame to frame in the exact order that AI told them to. At a certain point, even if there is a human on camera, is this even a human video?
Should the Creator Disclose?
With all of these in mind, does this use of AI deserve disclosure? One may argue that this is taking credit for work you did not do and putting your face on it so that you benefit. Sharing the use of AI would not only grow our understanding of how this tool is being used but also offer ethical transparency. Imagine you find a creator that you like because of their interesting ideas and insight on certain topics, and you come to find out that everything this creator says was created by an AI growth plan strategy. Many would feel betrayed in this instance.
On the other hand, one may argue that in 2026, AI is incorporated in some way in nearly everything we consume, whether it is disclosed or not. If so many people are using AI to brainstorm, edit, or plan, why should content creators announce their use and be subjected to inevitable negativity for using a tool that many in the professional world are using? Along with that, this is still their work that they are filming, speaking, and posting.
How Should a Creator Disclose?
If a creator considers both sides of the argument and chooses to disclose their AI use, it does not have to be in a way that is detrimental to their success. Putting a disclaimer at the end of a video could lead to worse watch time, negatively affecting performance. Furthermore, a final slide of a post identifying the use of AI could lead to a drop in engagement. The most practical way a creator can announce this is somewhere in their caption or a separate pinned post or story highlight, depending on the platform.
As AI in content creation becomes more and more common, it is up to creators to choose whether they will disclose their use or not. While some may argue that it is ethically right to be transparent, others may say that it is a tool that is so frequently used that these creators should not have to feel responsible. Do you think that creators should be transparent about their use of AI?
About the Author
Andrew Weber is a rising Junior at Elon University studying Digital Content Management and Cinema Television Arts. He has amassed a following of over 45,000 on Instagram and 40,000 on Facebook, working with numerous brands through promotional videos. He is additionally a Media Analytics Executive at Live Oak Communications, a student-run communications agency that works with local clients in Burlington, NC. He is also a freelance videographer and photographer, shooting live events and numerous sporting events for Elon University and previously the Durham Bulls.
