The YouTube content creation landscape is rapidly evolving with the help of AI. The YouTube culture and trends have reported that creators are using AI to create virtual influencers. The data shows that the platform is gaining increasing popularity for virtual influencers.
“Over the last three years, content featuring virtual YouTubers has gained 50 billion views annually. In 2024 alone, a sample of 300 virtual creators on YouTube has summed up 15 billion views across videos, live streams, and Shorts. The majority of which came from the USA itself,” Reported by YouTube.
How Virtual Influencers Are Shaping YouTube
Vtubers is the new popular term for virtual influencers on YouTube. Some of the famous VTubers are Nuero-Same, Code Miko and Hatsune Miko. YouTube has also stated them as virtual humans.
This advancement in technology is opening new doors for content creation. Soon, the VTubers will gain popularity for establishing a unique brand identity. YouTube influencer marketing will also evolve, utilizing the popularity of virtual influencers.
Many YouTube creators are already investing in VTubers. Creators are either hoping for the latest trend or reviving their dead YouTube Channel.
Catering to the trend, YouTube has categorized the virtual influencers into 4 types.
Vtuber:
VTubers are online entertainers with unique personalities who live in the real world. The virtual avatars are created using virtual graphics.
Gaming Virtual creators:
A virtual persona that creators use to produce content centered around video gaming. Creators showcase their gaming skills by adding a unique flair to their content, featuring Vtubers.
Virtual Artists:
These creators specialize in music production and offer a unique experience to users through virtual influencers.
Virtual Humans:
These virtual influencers, also known as VTubers, resemble the real human appearance of their YouTube creators.
The production of Vtubers involves technical means. Apart from AI, live motion capture, video game software, CGI tools, and Holographic projections are used to create a virtual avatar.
Conclusion
This upcoming trend is establishing a connection with virtual creators and their audience on various platforms. Moreover, this trend will fiercely compete with the human element of social media influencing; besides, this development is expected to bring increased engagement, responsiveness to users, and more personalized interactions.
The new trend solidifies YouTube’s position. Nevertheless, the AI tools are continuously improving, and creativity regarding VTubers is also expected to increase in the future.
Check out the official YouTube culture trends and reports here.
