For some creators, ‘AI re-skinning’. We break down exactly what that is, and more in this spooky edition of The Uppload. Delve into YouTube’s latest AI report (is it all it seems?), the viral 31 days of Halloween trend flooding our feeds and sleek tracks for ghoulish-ly good content.
YouTube’s AI report and the truth of human creativity
YouTube has published its Human Creativity & AI report, with one stat making the headlines: 72% of “video posters” use Generative AI.
The stat is shocking, if only because Gen-AI has such a bad rep in the creator community… and for good reasons. A recent trend has seen creators’ content stolen and turned into “meat layer” for copycat videos on AI channels. Elsewhere, it's being used for crypto scams, engagement farming and the spread of misinformation →
But 72% is a big number, and begs the question: is the use of Gen AI really this prolific?
Just positive PR? → The “72% stat” has been doing the rounds in YouTube’s recent promotion of AI tools like Shorts Remix (that lets you remix other creators' Shorts with prompts) and Ask YouTube. Incidentally, both have raised concerns about consent and credit. Meanwhile, despite protection baked into its AI tools, general AI misuse on the platform is still rampant.
It could be that YouTube is potentially looking for some positive press for its AI-led strategy – if only of its own making. The Human Creativity & AI survey only had 694 respondents. To put that in perspective, Uppbeat’s own Creator Report heard from 1,792 creatives and had vastly different responses too.
Uppbeat’s findings → Uppbeat’s Creator Report found that 59% of creators welcome AI for technical clean-up and captions, while just 7% accept fully AI-generated content.
In short, most people see AI as an assistant, not a creative replacement. And when asked, there was one thing they wanted to protect more than anything: the joy of doing the work themselves.
The truth about human creativity
At Uppbeat, we’re always going to promote real, human-led creativity. But stripping away the debate around AI, here are some things we know for sure:
- Real creativity takes time → If you can’t pump out content at the rate of the new ‘it’ AI character, don’t worry. YouTube cares more about the quality of your uploads, and whether you keep your viewers engaged after a click.
- Real creativity is rewarded → Repeated, “inauthentic” use of Gen AI can get you demonetized, whilst the channels that build a bank of strong, evergreen content (and a real community) will earn for years to come.
- Real creativity isn’t going away → As Uppbeat’s report discovered, 63% of people value human work even more since AI. In short, in a world of infinite content you are even more valuable.
The horror behind 31 Days of Halloween Costumes
31 days. 31 Halloween costumes. 31 snappy, short form videos. How hard can it be?
Creators like Sophie Silva, Winni Wilzig and Kayli Boyle have made their million followings based on their viral Halloween transformations. It’s the same seasonal-content strategy that earned Zoella a mass following back in 2015 with Vlogmas, but with a short-form twist. And it’s catching.
Searches for “31 days of Halloween Costumes” on YouTube have risen by 185% on last year. And, if you strike lucky, you stand to make a lot. Sophie Silva gained 4 million followers in a single month from her short-form content.
“I gained like two or three million followers in a month on TikTok, and another million on both YouTube and Instagram in a month.” - Sophie Silva, The Harvard Crimson
But whilst creators are almost guaranteed views with trends like these, do daily content challenges have a darker underside?
- Competition → “The unofficial Olympics of Halloween,” as writer Arwen Jarquin-Baez calls the trend. Creators aren’t just competing for the best costume, but for attention. That means pressure to craft increasingly lavish costumes (like Sophie Silva’s ‘I-hope-I-don’t-have-to-go-bathroom-in-this’ Edward Scissorhands outfit) and allegations of copycat costumes.
- Aftermath → Like any good Olympian, creators who decide to post every day need to prep. Don’t, and you’re setting yourself up for a hellish month of late nights and nightmare apartments… like this one.
- On the way out? → Trends are exactly that: trends. There are only so many costumes to be made or Christmas shopping vlogs to be posted. Base your content around a season and you risk appetite for your content declining over time. So, is it worth it?
Who really wins → We’re not kidding anyone – an extra 4 million followers would be nice. But short-form trends like 31 Days of Halloween only work if you have a strong base of content for people to continue to follow post-Spooky Season.
The creators who are winning these monthly challenges are curating their channels year-long… and they’re taking days off too. No one likes a burnt-out human come December (it’s not very festive).
What are we watching?
We caught up with Creative Coordinator Libs to ask her a couple of questions about a creator she's loving recently.
Whats your favorite channel right now? "My favourite channel at the moment is evilllica. She’s the absolute QUEEN of analog horror and is the perfect channel to binge around spooky season."
3 words to describe? "Nostalgic, skin-crawling, uncanny"
Why do you love it? "She captures the essence of the early internet so authentically. Her videos will take you back to playing on the family computer at night, and hearing a creaky floorboard behind you when no one is there…"
We think she'd love... "This grainy, vintage LUT captures the creepiness of found footage horror."
Elsewhere on the web
- Every date must come to an end? Amelia Dimoldenberg wraps up Chicken Shop Date.
- YouTube gives you more control over your feed. Check out their latest update
- Blank Street vs …? An independent coffee shop takes on the matcha chain using content.
- “Darkly comedic.” Viral TikTok series ‘Moletown Drama’ lands Sony deal.
- 16 years. The time it took this stop-motion creator to make his masterpiece.
- No AI in the making. Brands like Prada lean on “hand-drawn” illustration as a marketing tactic.
Latest Uppdates
Is the internet feeling a little… spooky? Our Creative Coordinator Libs has an idea why. Check out her blog on the collapse of monoculture. Or if you want to bring some style to your content, Uppbeat Partner Keke J. has curated a playlist for all those glam ghouls out there. And if you’re interested in becoming an Uppbeat partner yourself? You can! Join our Partner Program and start earning commission today.
