In Graphic Detail: Inside the growing rift between AI efficiency and audience trust

"Disney kicked things off by announcing that Disney+ subscribers will soon be able to spin up their own content using its characters. A former video game studio head chimed in to note that younger audiences are already using this stuff. And TikTok added more fuel by confirming its testing controls that lets users adjust the amount of AI-generated material in their feeds - an update that landed alongside the revelation that more than 1.3 billion videos on the platform now carry an AI label."

"First up: marketers and consumers are enthusiastic about generative AI Recent data from Kantar captures the mood. Nearly two-thirds of consumers (62%), feel positive about the possibilities of generative AI, and marketers are even more bullish with 68% expressing optimism. The findings come from two separate surveys: one of 31,3000 people across 30 markets with at least 500 respondents in each, conducted between May and August 2025. The other of 974 senior marketers globally."

"Even with that level of enthusiasm, marketers are striking a note of caution. More AI-generated content means more uncertainty over what is authentic and what is engineered. Platforms built their empires on user-generated material that rewarded passive consumption, enabled new realities and helped fragment audiences. AI accelerates that dynamic, tightening the feedback loop and amplifying the stakes. Trust concerns around generative AI are also colliding with a broader sense that the tech is being pushed onto people rather than adopted on their terms"

Disney will let Disney+ subscribers generate content using its characters, reflecting a shift in entertainment creation. Younger audiences are already using generative tools. TikTok is testing controls to let users adjust the amount of AI-generated material in their feeds and reports more than 1.3 billion videos carrying an AI label. Kantar surveys show 62% of consumers feel positive about generative AI and 68% of marketers express optimism, from large consumer samples across 30 markets and 974 senior marketers. Marketers express caution due to uncertainty over authenticity, as AI tightens feedback loops and accelerates audience fragmentation.

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