New findings show that 90 percent of Australian creators are now using creative generative AI in their workflow, with significant perceived benefits to their businesses and personal brands.
Adoption rates and business impact
The inaugural Creators' Toolkit Report, commissioned by Adobe and conducted by The Harris Poll, surveyed 2,165 creators in Australia as part of a wider global study. According to the report, 82 percent of Australian creators said that creative generative AI has accelerated the growth of their business or follower base. The same percentage believe the technology enables them to produce content they would otherwise have been unable to make.
In addition, 86 percent of Australian respondents see creative generative AI as having a positive impact on the broader creator economy. With 90 percent of creators indicating that they are actively using the technology, AI tools are now reported to be deeply embedded in daily workflows rather than only used for isolated tasks.
Practical uses and workflows
Australian creators report that the most common uses for creative generative AI include ideation and brainstorming (62 percent), editing, upscaling, and enhancement (60 percent), as well as generating new visual or audio assets (56 percent). Workflows have shifted toward integrating AI at multiple stages, from conceptualisation through to content production and improvement.
"Australian creators today aren't passively using creative generative AI, they're intentionally curating the tools they trust," said Mike Polner, Vice President & Head of Product Marketing for Creators at Adobe. "The results of our global Creators' Toolkit Report are staggering: 82 percent of Australian creators say creative generative AI is positively shaping the creator economy, helping them reach new audiences, scale their businesses, and amplify their creative expression. That's exactly what we're building at Adobe, AI tools grounded in flexibility, control, and trust, where creative decisions remain firmly in the creators' hands."
Exploring tools and persistent challenges
The study found that creators are active in seeking out new AI tools. Fifty-seven percent rely on personal research to discover new solutions, 56 percent pay attention to social media trends, and 49 percent consider recommendations from fellow creators. However, creators do not adopt every tool they try. Barriers include unreliable output quality (35 percent), high cost (34 percent), and uncertainty around how AI models are trained (32 percent).
Trust and transparency remain important factors in the adoption of creative generative AI. Seventy-two percent of creators voiced concern about their original content being used to train AI models without their permission, highlighting ongoing challenges around data rights and attribution.
Agentic AI and creator preferences
The report points to growing interest among Australian creators in agentic AI-tools that can proactively assist or automate tasks while still keeping creative control in the user's hands. Seventy-four percent of Australian respondents are optimistic or excited about agentic AI's potential. When asked if they would use an AI agent that learns their creative style, 88 percent said they would consider doing so.
Top desired applications for agentic AI include automating repetitive tasks (53 percent), providing brainstorming assistance (55 percent), and generating performance insights for content (50 percent). These preferences underline creators' interest in AI solutions that can expand efficiency without diminishing creative autonomy.
Mobile tools as creative studios
The survey illustrates a marked shift towards mobile-centric content creation. Seventy percent of Australian creators said that they frequently produce content on mobile devices. The move towards mobile is expected to continue: 80 percent of creators surveyed anticipate producing even more content on mobile platforms over the coming year as toolsets become more powerful and user-friendly.
