Brands and businesses globally are rapidly adopting generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to transform social media content production, aiming to enhance engagement, boost productivity, reduce costs, and expand human creativity. Despite notable concerns about misinformation risks from AI-generated content, new research by business services firm Capterra predicts that AI-generated content will dominate social media strategies soon, with nearly half of all social media content expected to be AI-produced within two years. This insight comes from Capterra’s 2024 GenAI for Social Content survey, which gathered responses from over 1, 600 social media marketers worldwide. Currently, businesses use GenAI for about 39% of their social media content, with this number projected to rise to 48% by 2026, indicating a significant shift toward automation and AI-driven creativity in marketing departments worldwide. Regionally, Canada, Australia, the United States, and Brazil lead current GenAI adoption, while the UK, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Spain are expected to see marked increases in the next 18 months. English-speaking countries have benefited early from the dominance of English content online, facilitating faster AI language model development tailored for marketing. Companies identify key drivers behind GenAI’s rapid adoption, chief among them substantial productivity gains. AI automates routine tasks like content drafting and ideation, enabling marketing teams to prioritize strategic planning and creative refinement. Additionally, AI enhances content personalization for targeted audience segments, boosting engagement effectively. Quantitative survey results show that 90% of businesses using GenAI experience moderate to significant time savings, while 73% report increased engagement and impressions.

Nearly half (49%) find AI-generated content outperforms content created solely by human marketers in reach and interaction. These results reflect growing confidence in AI's ability not only to improve operational efficiency but also to elevate marketing effectiveness. While concerns about misinformation remain, marketers are optimistic that with appropriate oversight and ethical guidelines, AI can be a valuable partner in producing compelling, accurate, and engaging social media content. Beyond productivity, GenAI fosters human creativity by offering suggestions and drafts that marketers refine to maintain brand voice and messaging. This human-machine collaboration is reshaping the creative process in social media marketing, merging the strengths of both to captivate audiences and build brand loyalty. As GenAI technologies evolve, their integration into social media workflows is expected to deepen, making AI-generated content a standard element of digital engagement strategies. Brands seeking competitiveness will likely increase investments in AI tools, training, and governance to maximize benefits while managing risks. In conclusion, Capterra’s research outlines a future where generative AI becomes essential to social media content creation. Businesses worldwide are set to nearly double their reliance on AI-generated social content within two years, driven by promises of enhanced efficiency, customer engagement, and creativity—marking a profound transformation in marketing that positions AI as a key force shaping the digital communication landscape ahead.