How creative pros are using Generative AI to keep up with unprecedented content demands

Image credit: Adobe Stock/peopleimages.com.

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, the demand for content is skyrocketing. Companies are refreshing their content more frequently than ever, with 82 percent updating at least weekly and 30 percent making updates daily. This surge in demand has left creative professionals grappling with tighter timelines and higher expectations. A recent survey conducted by Adobe and Advanis sheds light on how creative pros are navigating these challenges — and how generative AI (gen AI) is becoming an essential tool in their workflows.

The growing content crunch

The numbers speak for themselves: content demand has doubled for 96 percent of marketers, and nearly two-thirds report a fivefold increase. At the same time, marketing cycles are shrinking, with 76 percent of marketers saying timelines have shortened, and 68 percent reporting at least a 20 percent reduction in production time. This has created a perfect storm where demand outpaces supply, leaving 48 percent of creative teams struggling to keep up.

Gen AI: A game-changer for creative workflows

To meet these unprecedented demands, creative professionals are turning to gen AI. According to the survey, 99 percent of creative pros are using gen AI in some capacity. The benefits are clear: 88 percent say it helps them produce content faster, and 87 percent believe it has improved the quality of their work.

While many people associate gen AI with generating images from text prompts, a majority of creative pros (97 percent) are using it to make every stage of the creative process easier: Ideation (60 percent); Creation (59 percent); Production (72 percent); Post-production/Delivery (49 percent). Creative pros are turning to AI to accelerate traditional workflows and free up time for more strategic, creative thinking.

Quality that impresses the pros

One of the most striking findings from the survey is how impressed creative pros are with the quality of gen AI outputs. Over 65 percent say that the quality of AI generated images has improved over the past year. Interestingly, creative pros have a higher opinion of gen AI’s quality than general users, likely because their expertise allows them to craft more effective prompts and use the technology in targeted ways.

Veteran freelance digital illustrator Delane Barrus says, “I don't really use AI to generate the full image, but it's useful for manipulating an image to get precisely what I want, instead of painting it by hand in Adobe Photoshop.”

Developing recent ad creative, Barrus used a combination of practical photography (product shots on a table in his office), blended with objects from Substance 3D Designer and AI background elements. “They loved it,” Barrus said. “They called it a masterpiece and are using it in a lot of their ads now.”

Balancing enthusiasm with concerns

Despite the enthusiasm for Generative AI, creative pros still have reservations. About 40 percent admit to feeling embarrassed about using Generative AI, and 45 percent say they will never fully trust it to create final assets. Ethical concerns also loom large, with 83 percent agreeing that artists whose work is used to train AI models should be compensated.

Nato Thompson, founder of Dreaming in Public, says “What feels urgent to me in this post-pandemic, mid-AI moment is making sure artists don’t feel alone or disposable. Sustainability comes less from chasing algorithmic visibility and more from cultivating durable networks, infrastructures, and values that outlast any single platform.”

The future of creativity with gen AI

The survey highlights a pivotal moment for the creative industry. Gen AI is proving to be a powerful ally in helping creative pros meet growing content demands, but it’s not without its challenges. As the technology continues to evolve, so too will the ways in which creative professionals integrate it into their workflows — balancing speed, quality, and ethics.

This is just the beginning of a new era in creativity, where human ingenuity and AI innovation come together to redefine what’s possible. How will you use Generative AI to transform your creative process?