The creator economy is growing faster than any other digital sector, and the shift toward video-first content is at the centre of this transformation. In fact, it’s hard to ignore how quickly short-form video has taken over. During the last three years, it hasn’t just influenced audience habits, it has bulldozed the old rulebook. People no longer pause for perfect frames or glossy brand aesthetics. They want something that feels alive. Something raw. A moment that feels like it wasn’t rehearsed ten times before hitting “record.”
To understand where video-first influencer campaigns are heading next, we spoke with Vishal Sharijay, CEO of Hobo.Video, who has been studying how artificial intelligence is reshaping content creation at every level. His view is straightforward: AI isn’t creeping in quietly; it’s charging through the front door. It’s choosing which creators fit a brand’s tone even before anyone hops on a call. Vishal Sharijay stated that AI analytics can now identify videos with high potential to go viral before the editing process even starts. Honestly, it is surprising or even futuristic, but that is exactly why it matters.
In this article we look in detail, how the market is shifting, what creators and brands should expect, and why brands need to rewire their approach before this new wave becomes the part. If they don’t, they will end up missing out while everyone else makes the growth.
Vishal Sharijay also, shared a Lessons and Insights Into Creator Marketing and What’s Next for the Industry Read full article here
The New Era of Real, Unfiltered Video
In today’s creator economy it is clear that authenticity wins and audiences no longer respond to perfectly staged videos or scripted lines. They value creators who speak casually, shoot on the go, and share honest opinions. This shift is not random. It’s a direct response to an online environment filled with noise and overproduction.
Vishal explained that the most successful video-first campaigns today follow three rules:
- Keep the tone conversational not promotional.
- Keep the setting simple and relatable.
- Let the creator’s personality lead the story.
AI tools that analyse engagement and other important aspects consistently prove the same thing: people connect with personality, not production.
Instead of running traditional ads, brands are choosing creators who can deliver honest reactions, natural expressions, and day-in-the-life moments. This change has pushed the industry away from the idea of “influencers as celebrities” and toward “influencers as relatable humans.”
How AI Is Quietly Enhancing Video Storytelling
AI is not replacing creators. It is making their work faster and sharper without touching their creative identity. Vishal shared that most modern creators now rely on tools that help them:
- Auto-edit raw clips
- Clean background noise
- Recommend the best hooks
- Identify moments where retention drops
- Detect viewer emotion through comments and reactions
Some creators still believe that doing everything manually is good for progress, but many editing platforms already use AI in the background. These tools save hours of effort, allowing creators to focus on what they love, talking to the camera, sharing insights, and building trust with their audience.
For brands, AI makes it easier to understand which type of videos work for different segments. Instead of relying on guesswork, marketers can now predict performance before a video is even posted. Ai tools also help brands to see the creators engagement rate, fake followers, niche, followers. This level of precision was not possible a few years ago.
Data Is Becoming the Backbone of Every Campaign
In the past, engagement rates were the key metric in influencer marketing. Today, AI platforms analyse dozens of signals such as:
- Viewer behaviour
- Completion rate
- Comment sentiment
- Topic interest cycles
- Keyword density
- Facial expressions
- Creator-audience fit
This helps brands answer questions like:
- Will this video hold attention?
- Will this creator resonate with this audience segment?
- Will the content feel trustworthy?
- Will the messaging spark conversations?
Vishal noted that predictive analytics is one of the biggest breakthroughs. Brands now use AI to forecast campaign outcomes based on creator data, audience maps, and past patterns. This means less wasted budget and more confidence in choosing the right creators.
Creators Are Becoming Hybrid Talents
The rise of AI has created a new type of creator, someone who combines intuition with data-driven decisions. These hybrid creators don’t just rely on creativity. They also use insights to understand what topics are heating up, which hook lines perform best, and what style resonates with different platforms.
This doesn’t make content robotic. AI’s rise has brought a new kind of creator to the scene—someone who mixes gut instinct with data-driven choices. These hybrid creators aren’t just creative; they think, test, and adapt constantly.
Vishal described this shift as “creators who work like storytellers but think like analysts.”
This combination is already producing higher performance and deeper trust with audiences.
Why Influence Today Spreads Through Authenticity, Not Amplification
The biggest difference in today’s influencer landscape is how influence spreads. Earlier, visibility required amplification—ads, paid boosts, large-scale PR. Now influence spreads through three natural forces:
1. Authenticity
People trust creators who talk the way they talk, dress the way they dress, and live the life their audience relates to.
2. Emotion
A simple story told in plain language reaches further than a highly produced video with scripted messaging.
3. Conversation
Users share content that sparks reactions—topics that make them think, laugh, or feel understood.
AI is extremely good at detecting what emotional tone works best for each audience group. This helps creators craft videos that feel more personal and less promotional.
The Next Two Years: What AI Will Bring to Influencer Marketing
According to Vishal, we are heading into a period where AI will change the foundation of how campaigns are planned, executed, and evaluated.
1. Better Creator-Brand Matching
Instead of manual research, AI will match brands with creators based on psychographic fit, tone, audience behaviour, and content style.
2. Script and Hook Optimization
Creators will get data-backed suggestions on how to open videos, when to switch angles, and what phrases increase retention.
3. Automated Editing Pipelines
Cutting, pacing, captions, and color adjustments will become near-instant.
4. Smart UGC Libraries for Brands
Brands will build large banks of creator videos tailored for different audiences and platforms.
5. Real-Time Campaign Monitoring
AI will track performance moment by moment and recommend adjustments on the go.
These improvements won’t make creators less important. They will make creators more influential.
Vishal’s Final View: The Future Belongs to Creators Who Stay Human
Despite all the advancement, Vishal’s message is grounded in one clear belief:
Creativity still comes from people, not machines.
AI will streamline editing, prediction, and optimisation. But the voice, personality, humour, vulnerability, and storytelling that bring a video to life will always come from the creator.
The brands that win in the future will be the ones that respect the creator’s individuality and use AI as a support system, not a replacement for human expression.
