A new Animoto report finds that while 84% of marketers are using AI for video, 83% of consumers believe they can spot the synthetic content—and for 36%, it erodes brand trust. The data exposes a major disconnect between creators rushing to adopt new tools and the audiences they are trying to reach.
Not replacing, accelerating: Marketers see AI as a tool to speed up their workflow, not replace their creative teams. The report finds that for most, the main bottleneck in video production isn't technical but conceptual, with 63% citing ideation as their biggest challenge. AI tools are now being used to tackle that problem and speed up the entire creative process, from first idea to final edit.
Spot the bot: Viewers, however, are getting savvy. They're pointing to robotic gestures (67%) as the number one red flag for AI-generated content, along with unnatural voices and a lack of emotional tone. That skepticism has real financial stakes, as 83% of consumers report having purchased a product after watching a brand video, making authentic connection a high-stakes game.
Bringing it in-house: The conflict is driving a move to in-house production. To handle a planned increase in video for 2026, 75% of marketing teams have already built internal teams. That strategic shift is proving effective, as 60% report their own content outperforms videos made by external agencies.
Despite the rush to adopt these new tools, creative teams demand human oversight. As Animoto CEO Beth Forester put it, "Generative AI can speed up and scale up your video creation, but it's no replacement for authenticity. If you want your videos to resonate, you've got to balance both.” The report's findings are already sparking conversation among marketing professionals online, while Animoto itself is emphasizing the need for a human touch in its own social messaging.
