Blog: creator tools

Key insights from this blog: MIDiA's latest audio report, ' The audio creator opportunity ' , argues that brands and platforms can no longer afford to neglect audio creators Audio creators are a fast-growing force in the creator economy, driving demand for better tools and marketing They are more likely to run their work as a business and invest heavily in creator tools, presenting a clear opportunity for tailored solutions With most tools designed for video and music, companies that develop end-to-end platforms for audio creation can unlock a valuable market and empower this expanding community The creator economy is evolving rapidly, and while TikTok influencers and YouTubers often steal the spotlight, there is a fast-growing creator segment that brands and platforms can no longer ignore: audio creators.

YouTube’s growing strength on smart TVs is a head scratching moment for the video industry. The social video platform recently revealed that US consumers watched 1 billion hours of YouTube content daily on their smart TVs in December 2024.

MIDiA is pleased to announce the release of not one but two new music creator economy reports. These are our latest " State of the music creator economy "and " Music creator tools forecasts "reports. These annual deliverables have quickly become industry benchmarks, and if you operate in the music creator economy, they are must-reads.

Cutting through the noise during conference season is always a challenge. But it becomes easier when comparing the mood and messaging from the previous year’s event. Sometimes a year is all it takes for companies to dial down the hype and take a more sober view on the latest technology trend.

The music creator economy has been long in the making but was thrust into the wider music industry’s limelight with the Covid lockdowns triggering a surge in new creators. As with any bubble, many creator tools companies saw their ensuing surge flatten post-lockdown.

There has always been tension between the goals of creators, social platforms, and creator tools companies. As the creator economy has evolved, a push and pull has ensued between what creators’ feel is fair remuneration for their work, and what the industry feels is the right commercial framework for sustainability.

AI tools have put the video creator economy in sharp focus over recent months. AI video generators like Runway and OpenAI’s Sora have provided a tangible example of not just AI’s capability in video, but its transformative impact more generally.

Social platforms have brought a significant number of new creators into the market. With this has come a whole host of creator tools companies looking to capitalise on the opportunity. While their features may vary, they share a common goal: each app wants to secure steady, long-term engagement as a user progresses from a beginner to an advanced creator.

Experimenting with tools is part and parcel of being a video creator. With each new video editor preset or plug-in comes an opportunity tore-think the creative process. Rather than being fixed, workflows are in a constant state of evolution as technology unlocks new ways to create.

Amid the flurry of recent generative AI announcements, Apple had been strangely quiet. This changed on Monday (June 11, 2024) when it announced Apple Intelligence at its WWDC24 developer conference. In short, Apple Intelligence is a suite of consumer-focused tools embedded into Apple products to enhance productivity and enable creativity.

Video has reached an inflection point. Artificial intelligence is poised to bring video creation to even more consumers, in a move that will disrupt the tools, workflows, and business models underpinning the value chain.

The fallout of the pandemic exposed some uncomfortable truths about the creator economy. After an engagement boom during lockdown, the seemingly endless audience for social video content suddenly appeared finite.

TikTok has redefined what it means to be part of a cultural moment. In the past, engaging with trends meant being a consumer of content that captured the spirit of the time. For video, this was largely expressed through watercooler moments, where discussing the most popular TV shows and movies with friends, family, and colleagues was a symbol of one’s cultural capital.

Apple is crushing it – literally. The new iPad Pro ad received widespread backlash for its controversial crushing of musical instruments to demonstrate what is ‘packed into’ Logic Pro on the iPad.

Given the tussle for technological dominance between Asia and the West, it is unsurprising that China has launched a competitor to OpenAI’s Sora . Unveiled at the ZGC Forum in Beijing on Saturday (April 27, 2024), Vidu is China’s text-to-video model that can generate content with simple prompts.

MIDiA is building a new research stream focused on video creators and the tools they use to create. We are striving to understand the unique workflows and creative processes that underpin the art of making engaging video content.

When it comes to selling software and hardware, the creatoreconomy resembles other types of hobby. Take sports: there are plenty of cheapfootballs and tennis rackets out there for consumers who want to start playing.

From politics to tech to entertainment, the past few years can best be described as unprecedented. In 2023, daily life felt especially futuristic and surreal, with artificial intelligence dominating the discourse.