In an ever-evolving retail landscape shaped by **macroeconomic challenges**, platform disruptions, and cautious consumer spending, a new dynamic is emerging: **creators are transforming into strategic commercial collaborators**, far beyond mere storytellers. Fueled by **artificial intelligence (AI)**, these creators are **rewriting the rules** of affiliate and brand partnerships, growing **leaner, smarter**, and more resilient with each interaction.
As we delve into the future, it’s clear — in **2025**, AI will not merely be a toolkit; it will serve as a crucial **catalyst** for change. The call to action for retail leaders has never been more urgent.
From Content Creators to Commerce Architects
The lines that once defined influencers, affiliates, and entrepreneurs are becoming increasingly blurred. Today’s creators don’t just amplify messages; they are now **charting the course** for product selection, automating audience engagement, and driving revenue like seasoned performance marketers. A recent Creator Lightning Survey revealed that **59 percent of creators** have embraced AI to enhance their workflows and monetization strategies.
Of those surveyed, an impressive **43 percent** reported that AI facilitates creative processes, while **34 percent** utilize AI to **automate engagement**, and **23 percent** lean on it for product curation and audience analysis. These insights reveal a clear trend: **creators are leveraging AI as a powerhouse for commercial strategy**, not merely as a tool for content production.
Necessity drives this evolution; a substantial majority of full-time creators — comprising **80 percent of our respondents** — have reported a decline in consumer spending on affiliate-linked products.
Efficiency in an Era of Economic Uncertainty
The economic pressures impacting creators resonate across marketing functions. According to a recent Gartner study, **59 percent of CMOs** indicate they lack sufficient budgets to execute their strategies. With marketing budgets stabilizing at **7.7 percent of company revenue** — a drop from pre-2020 levels — marketers are increasingly pressured to **“do more with less.”**
This sentiment permeates the creator economy. Shrinking brand deals, compressed commissions, and platform volatility have compelled creators to adopt AI not just as a **quirky addition**, but as a vital **survival strategy**. They are utilizing AI to refine their decision-making — prioritizing high-converting products, aligning with seasonal trends, and adjusting campaigns in real-time based on robust data analytics.
Discovery Gets Smarter, Sales Get Faster
AI is also revolutionizing one of the most cumbersome aspects of creator commerce: product discovery. With countless SKUs on platforms like **Amazon**, **TikTok Shop**, and **Shopify**, creators often find themselves overwhelmed by choices. However, smart AI recommendation engines, informed by commission rates, product trends, and audience behaviors, are enabling creators to **curate with confidence**, effectively reducing friction in the sales cycle.
This data-driven approach not only conserves time but also bridges the chasm between content and commerce, making product decisions **more profitable and aligned** with evolving consumer preferences.
What Retail Leaders Need to Do Now
In this transforming landscape, retail leaders must rethink their strategies for creator partnerships. The focus must shift from mere visibility to fostering **smarter, performance-focused** collaborations. Brands thriving in this AI-empowered era will be those that enable creators to function as growth marketers.
A 2025 Digiday+ Research survey indicates that as creator marketing budgets continue to fragment amidst an increasingly complex influencer landscape, brands are facing a decline in average spending per creator, despite overall budget increases. This dynamic heightens the pressure on creators to deliver a measurable return on investment. Just as CMOs allocate media budgets wisely, creators are now weighing brand opportunities through the lens of **conversion performance, commission potential**, and **data transparency**.
Emerging from this transformation are new expectations that retailers need to heed. The “marketplace” for creators extends far beyond platforms like **TikTok** or **Instagram**; it encompasses every micro-environment in which they operate, from AI-powered storefronts to affiliate hubs. If your products aren’t easily discoverable, filterable by price, or coupled with reviews and real-time promotions, they risk being overlooked — or worse, becoming **invisible**.
This demand for discoverability transcends a simple UX issue; it is a **growth imperative**. Creators are consistently advocating for improved visibility into product discounts, easy price sorting, and accessible reviews. These are essential features influencing what gets promoted. If your catalog isn’t structured for **search, selection**, and **performance**, you are likely absent from the modern commerce conversation.
To fully exploit the potential of AI-driven creator commerce, retail leaders should:
- Support creator enablement — not just access. Running a massive affiliate program is no longer sufficient; creators require the necessary tools, training, and transparency to achieve tangible results. Offering AI-enhanced product discovery, campaign insights, and audience fit data will create lasting partnerships in an increasingly crowded market.
- Rethink affiliate infrastructure for performance parity. As platforms like **TikTok Shop** and **Instagram Shopping** increasingly blend content and commerce, creators are drawn to models that reward outcomes over mere impressions. Retailers must prioritize dynamic commissions, real-time attribution, and seamless linking to minimize friction and maximize conversion.
- Make your product ecosystem discoverable. Creators expect the same level of insight and understanding they offer to their audiences. This means fostering intuitive search options, showcasing real-time promotions, highlighting best-sellers, and ensuring customer reviews are prominently displayed. Remember: *AI is only as effective as the data it leverages.* If your ecosystem isn’t optimized, you risk falling out of consideration.
- Share data that drives decisions. Today’s creators demand access to performance data, ranging from SKU-level insights to shopper behavior trends. Providing this level of transparency builds trust and positions your brand as a strategic ally, not merely a source of commission payments.
The economics surrounding creator commerce are undeniably shifting. Affiliate commissions now serve as one of the clearest metrics for brands to measure their ROI, compelling creators to align themselves with programs prioritizing performance. AI is accelerating their potential to evaluate, assess, and act with precision. The brands that emerge victorious will be those marrying this intelligence with an optimized infrastructure.
A recent World Federation of Advertisers report further validates this trend: **54 percent of multinational brands** plan to increase their investment in influencer marketing by **2025**, with many opting for deeper collaborations with agencies to navigate the increasingly complex creator economy. This indicates a broader shift towards long-term partnerships, structured measurement, and more intentional creator engagement.
As this ecosystem matures, the mandate for retailers is clear: **meet creators where they are**, speak in performance terms, and build systems that empower them to drive growth.
Resilience Through Intelligence
Amid ongoing economic challenges, creators are not hitting the brakes; instead, they’re adapting and thriving. By embedding AI into their workflows, they are becoming more autonomous, efficient, and results-focused.
Retailers who grasp this evolution will unlock a new breed of creator partners — those who operate like growth marketers rather than just content producers. In a year riddled with margin pressures and diminishing attention, that kind of intelligence may become a brand’s most valuable asset.
Brian Klais is CEO and founder of URLgenius, a mobile deep-linking platform designed for marketers.
