4 trends in video culture that signal bigger shifts

Written by Smriti Sinha, Maddy Buxton / July 2023, via Think with Google.

At a glance, South Korean creator RuiCovery resembles any number of other creators who upload cover songs to YouTube. But one key difference sets her apart: Rui is played by an actor with an AI-generated face designed by the Seoul-based IT startup Dob Studio.

Rui’s success represents a moment of major change in technology, creativity, and culture — and AI is only one part of it. The shift caters to casual creators and those with advanced technical skills alike, resulting in more creative opportunities and new ways for audiences to engage with what they’re watching.

YouTube creator Airrack guides viewers through the YouTube Culture and Trends Report, exploring new research, YouTube data, and creator interviews, unpacking the fan trends and technological advancements fueling a cultural shift in content creation and consumption.

To better understand the changing landscape of video creation and consumption, we looked at hundreds of video trends, spoke to creators and experts, and ran surveys across 14 countries. The resulting 2023 YouTube Culture and Trends Report will help marketers understand where video culture is today, where it’s headed, and how to win in this new digital environment.

Video Trend No. 1: Gen Z is blurring the line between creator and audience

The rise of online fan communities has had a massive impact on pop culture. In 2023, thanks to the availability of advanced tech tools, fans have a more active role in shaping culture than ever. Fandom is more layered, and it’s shifting not only how people experience and participate in video culture but how they perceive their role. A survey conducted by Ipsos in 14 countries reported that 41% of Gen Z describe themselves as video content creators.1 From meme makers to commentators to professional fans with dedicated followings, Gen Zers have an unprecedented opportunity to influence what they love. And it’s not just Gen Z: 40% of all respondents (online 18- to 44-year-olds) described themselves as video content creators.

Filmmaker Kane Parsons, 17, experienced this firsthand when so many other YouTube creators riffed on and analyzed his short film, The Backrooms — one going so far as to recreate it in Minecraft — that the original film amassed over 49 million views and became a top trending YouTube video. A24, the production company behind the Oscar-winning film “Moonlight” and HBO’s “Euphoria,” took notice, leading to his forthcoming big-screen directorial debut.

Conversely, major industry moments can be opportunities for commentators and professional fans to contribute their original perspectives. Consider a fashion critic who covers the Met Gala. By adding insight through deep expertise and original perspectives, creators can draw many fans looking for deeper dives: 54% of surveyed people prefer to watch creators breaking down a major event (such as the Oscars or the Grammys) rather than the event itself.3

Brands tend to benefit from fan communities as well. Hundreds of fan-creators took to YouTube to post their own riffs on Burger King’s “Whopper, Whopper” ad. The memes and remixes drove over 100 million views on YouTube videos related to the song,4 an outpouring that was still going strong six months after the ad aired.

Video Trend No. 2: More formats mean more ways to break through

Whether idly scrolling on a mobile device, watching the FIFA World Cup live feed, or listening to a favorite podcast en route to work, today’s audiences want — and expect — to be able to personalize the viewing experience. In fact, 68% of respondents (online 18- to 44-year-olds) say they like the convenience of being able to watch different video formats all on one platform.5 The flexibility of multiformat creation lets viewers follow their favorites from screen to screen. Now, we’re seeing brands and creators take advantage of the trend.

Campaigns using two or more video formats were more likely to see ad recall and brand awareness lift than those using only one.

Fitness creator Cassey Ho has built a community of 8.6 million subscribers on her YouTube channel, Blogilates, by sharing workout routines, running tips, Pilates videos, and more. Last year, she pivoted her content to Shorts, using the format to offer a more personal, behind-the-scenes look at her athleisure brand. Ho, who started her channel in 2009, gained more than half of her lifetime views since adopting the Shorts strategy at the beginning of 2022.6 Research suggests she’s not the only one seeing results: 90% of people surveyed said they have watched content from a particular creator or artist across different formats (such as short form, long form, podcasts, live streams) over the past 12 months.7

This shift in behavior is great news for brands, which now have more ways to show up across all of the screens and formats where people are watching. Google AI-powered ad campaigns on YouTube, such as Video reach campaigns, help marketers create a mix of video ad formats to reach more viewers and drive better, more cost-efficient results. In fact, campaigns using two or more video formats were more likely to see ad recall and brand awareness lift than those using only one.

Video Trend No. 3: New tech tools empower users to personalize content and shape pop culture

Today’s growing range of casual creator tools helps users remix audio and video, add filters, experiment with special effects, and more, making content creation part of pop culture itself. “Clipping,” a YouTube feature that allows anyone to clip moments from longer videos and add them to their own, has become so common among creators that, in 2023, more than 14 million videos have been created each month using the feature.9 A similar feature is available for advertisers. The trim video tool uses Google AI to create multiple 6-second ads from a longer video ad. This way, brands can easily multiply their creative assets to reach more viewers across more formats.

Creators testing multi-language dubbed videos saw over 15% of their watch time come from views in the video’s nonprimary language.

Experiential features like closed captions and multi-language audio allow audiences to tailor their viewing experiences to their preferences. Creators are using captions in fresh ways: to add context, deliver inside jokes, or simply provide Easter eggs for interested viewers. Closed captions have also contributed to the rise of “silent vlogs,” which use subtitles to add commentary without interrupting the immersiveness of the video. Not only were users open to watching without sound, but videos with “silent vlog” in the title garnered 24 million views in 2022.10

Meanwhile, YouTube’s multi-language audio feature lets anyone upload different audio tracks to the same video. And for ads specifically, we’re experimenting with an AI-powered offering that can dub English video ads into nine languages, with more coming soon. The option opens up a new world of possibilities for creators, brands, and viewers hoping to reach wider audiences. The platform’s most subscribed individual creator, Mr. Beast, recently shared how he dubbed his most popular videos into 11 languages to cater to more of his international audience. Creators testing multi-language dubbed videos saw over 15% of their watch time come from views in the video’s nonprimary language.11

Last month, Korean singer Midnatt launched his song “Masquerade” in six languages, even using AI to enhance pronunciation and make his vocals sound more natural in each of his nonnative languages. Audiences support these innovations: 54% of surveyed people said they follow a creator who creates content in a language other than their own.12 For brands, dub tracks can mean reaching new audiences without the need for huge production budgets.

Video Trend No. 4: Broad audiences are warming to AI, thanks to creators

AI tools are democratizing video production, reducing the time, training, and expense required for creators to bring their visions to life. Just look at the channel Corridor Crew, which used AI to create and open-source a technique that easily animates any image.

Putting the power to innovate in the hands of users means executing more complex ideas at greater speeds than ever before, allowing for moments that exist in conversation with one another. These conversations manifest in the ways fans use AI to create mashups that reimagine and celebrate their favorite cultural touchstones, for instance, by applying director Wes Anderson’s iconic style to beloved sci-fi fantasy franchises. Audiences are receptive to these creative experiments: 60% agree that they are open to watching content from creators that use AI to generate their content.

AI-generated moments resonate because creators apply their unique perspectives to bring concepts to life for their viewers. For some, this can mean turning to the technology for creative prompts, such as asking for a makeup routine to follow. For musical artists, it can mean producing visuals for their own audio tracks, allowing fans to experience their work in new ways. These innovative use cases serve as templates for how AI tools might be used in the future and help to demystify them for broader audiences. There have been more than 1.7 billion views of YouTube videos about generative AI tools so far in 2023.14

From creators with AI-generated avatars to moments driven by fan participation, video culture is moving toward an even more democratized landscape. And it’s moving fast. There is more appetite among viewers for interesting and envelope-pushing work, and more ways to make that work accessible to them across devices — even across language barriers. With fewer steps to get started and more venues for collaboration, creators, audiences, and brands have more opportunities to interact, shaping the future of digital video along the way.