The marketing industry grapples with confidence collapse as AI settles in

In the attention economy, video has become the currency of engagement. Marketing trends move at speed, with new ways for brands to get noticed appearing every day – and this is all underpinned by tech that is evolving faster than any industry can keep up with.

Behind the reels, product demos, and brand stories that manage to crack our feeds’ algorithms, however, is a wave of marketers grappling with the advent of AI and its associated tools. These tools promise efficiency, creativity, and productivity, but the mounting pressure to adopt something – somewhere in their workflows – is opening creating infinite possibilities and with it endless to-do lists. Ultimately, marketers feel like, at some point, they could be left behind.

The confidence collapse

Our recent research paints a picture of a community facing a striking paradox: 98% of marketers acknowledge video is critical to their strategy, but only 38% feel confident creating it, with 87% admitting they regularly publish videos they are not fully happy with, just to keep up with deadlines.

But what’s at stake? This isn’t just a minor quality issue, but a systemic content issue that threatens brand authenticity, awareness, and, moreover, marketers’ wellbeing.

When it comes to creating video content, learning to embrace AI as a creative co-pilot, whilst following best practice, can make the process much simpler; it’s not here to reinvent the wheel, but to help keep yours turning.

So, what are the top tips for creating video content?

For those just getting started, it might seem overwhelming. There are new trends every hour, endless ways to shoot content, and for those who haven’t been in front of or behind the camera before, it can all seem very unnatural. However, there are a few things that can make the process simpler, and not just for those who are skilled editors, or working with big budgets.

In a scrolling environment, people move quickly between content, so successful videos must grab attention in the first three seconds. With a 15 second video, the majority will go unwatched, so it’s important to include a hook that draws watchers in in the first few seconds. At that point, you can include branding or messaging once the watcher’s attention has been captured.

New content automatically buys attention, though it must be balanced in terms of pacing and cuts; chaotic attention can be overwhelming and is unlikely to hold attention. A variety of intermittent motion, sound and faces will re-engage viewers and slow attention decay. The same face throughout is more likely to be ignored.

Generally, it’s important that creators know their audience and what is relevant to them. This varies across platforms, so whilst cross-media campaigns can be effective, these should be tailored to each platform and its associated audience.

AI as a creative co-pilot

Despite many fears and some reticence about AI adoption within the community, it is rapidly becoming the creative industry’s unexpected ally. We found that 69% of marketers already use AI to accelerate video production, automate editing, and repurpose content. In fact, 97% have generated a video from scratch using AI tools.

The benefits are clear: AI-using marketers report that the technology helps them stretch budgets, repurpose content across platforms, and create more content overall. AI workflows are collapsing timelines, allowing teams to move from concept to cut in hours, rather than weeks.

Lots of marketers are using AI to remove friction and realise ideas quicker (meaning we’re officially out of the experimentation phase!) but ‘one-and-done’ doesn’t produce results; AI integration does: automating repetitive, time-consuming video tasks, so humans can do what AI cannot do very well right now: be creative.

This shift represents more than efficiency gains, but a fundamental reimagining of the creative process. It’s one where AI handles the mechanical heavy lifting, such as editing, formatting, giving the final polish, and repurposing, allowing humans to focus on the strategy, storytelling, and content authenticity.

What can AI really do when video editing or creating?

AI enables creators to see their creative ideas come to life, or even take their initial plan to the next level. Think about using avatars or digital personas, generating b-roll to add captivating visuals, or even expanding a 16:9 or 9:16 frame, but autofilling the background.

In terms of editing, marketers can make content accessible and polished by editing the video by transcript, removing background noise, eye correction, and even resizing to platform dimensions.

Rethinking creative velocity

The tension between velocity and authenticity defines the current moment in marketing. The tools exist to produce content at unprecedented scale and speed, but the question remains as to whether that content can maintain the human connection and brand integrity that drives genuine engagement.

A six-step framework is emerging from high-performing teams

This approach transforms AI from a simple productivity tool into an integrated creative partner that handles repetitive tasks while preserving strategic thinking and creative relevance for humans.

Creative velocity is ultimately giving brands the competitive edge, but marketers need clarity, confidence in their workflows, and structure to embrace new tools available to them. As the industry evolves, it’s the marketers who thoughtfully integrate AI into workflows whilst preserving authenticity that will excel. This will be the secret to achieving the scale and speed the modern attention economy demands. Can marketing teams adapt quickly enough to meet the moment?