By 2026, nearly two-thirds of all social media content produced by Australian businesses will be generated by artificial intelligence (AI), according to a recent survey. As AI tools increasingly become integral to social media marketing, companies are leveraging the technology to boost productivity, efficiency, and engagement.
Capterra’s 2024 GenAI for Social Content Survey, which polled over 1,600 social media marketers worldwide, revealed that Australian businesses currently generate an average of 49% of their social media content using AI.
This figure is expected to climb to 61% by 2026. Australian marketers are ahead of the curve compared to their counterparts in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific, with a growing number of businesses in Australia, the U.K., Brazil, Canada, and Spain planning to significantly increase their investment in AI tools over the next 18 months.
AI’s ability to enhance productivity is a key factor driving its adoption among Australian businesses. A significant majority (91%) of companies using AI for social media content report substantial time savings. The top benefits cited include enhanced creativity (37%), increased efficiency (36%), easier idea generation (33%), and greater content production (32%). Additionally, nearly 78% of Australian businesses reported improved social media engagement and impressions thanks to AI-assisted content, with many noting that AI-generated content performs as well as or better than content created solely by humans.
However, the rise of AI in content creation is not without challenges. Over half (55%) of Australian businesses using AI for social media content find that the effort required to edit and review AI-generated material exceeds their expectations.
Concerns about maintaining authenticity and preventing misinformation are prevalent, with 56% of companies reporting quality-control issues such as factual errors, plagiarism, and bias. Furthermore, 42% of businesses highlight the difficulty of preserving the authenticity of AI-generated content, while 40% struggle to maintain creativity.
Implementing AI safely and effectively
To leverage GenAI responsibly, businesses should create a formal internal policy that helps align stakeholders on use cases and best practices to ensure safety, legal compliance, and brand alignment.
“Businesses should use internal and external metrics to measure GenAI effectiveness, as they help track performance and understand the cost and impact on employee time and morale,” says Andrew Blair, Analyst at Capterra.
“As businesses increase their investment in GenAI, they must navigate its challenges and benefits, ensuring the technology supports rather than replaces human marketers,” adds Blair.
For further information, please visit capterra.com.au.
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