Artists face steep income decline due to AI, UNESCO finds

This article is published in association with United Nations.

Creators worldwide are facing mounting financial pressures as rapid advances in digital technologies and artificial intelligence continue to transform the cultural and creative industries, according to a new global report released by the UN culture agency, UNESCO, on Wednesday. 

The latest edition of Re|Shaping Policies for Creativity, UNESCO’s flagship monitoring report covering more than 120 countries, warns that generative AI is projected to drive significant income losses for artists by 2028. ‑generated content in global markets. The report stresses that these disruptions are occurring at a pace that outstrips current policy responses, exacerbating inequalities and threatening the livelihoods of millions of cultural workers.

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Music creators could see their revenues fall by 24 per cent, while those working in the audiovisual sector may lose 21 per cent of their income due to the expanding presence of AI generated content in global markets. The report stresses that these disruptions are occurring at a pace that outstrips current policy responses, exacerbating inequalities and threatening the livelihoods of millions of cultural workers.

The shift toward digital production and consumption has created new opportunities but also intensified economic uncertainty. Creators are experiencing heightened exposure to intellectual property violations and diminishing returns on their work as AI generated outputs enter the marketplace.‑generated outputs enter the marketplace.

Creative digital divide

Persistent global inequities further compound these challenges. While 67 per cent of people in developed countries possess essential digital skills, the figure drops to just 28 per cent in developing countries. This digital divide, paired with the growing dominance of major streaming platforms and opaque algorithms that hinder content visibility, is contributing to widening disparities among creators, particularly those operating in the Global South. 

UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany declared that the current era represents a critical moment for the creative economy; the report outlines more than 8,100 policy measures and calls for urgent, coordinated action to protect creators’ rights, strengthen regulatory frameworks and reinforce the cultural sector’s contribution to sustainable development. 

UNESCO warns that without renewed investment, fairer market conditions and stronger international cooperation, creators risk being further marginalised as technologies evolve. The agency urges governments to mobilise cultural policy as a strategic priority—both to safeguard the livelihoods of artists and to ensure that creativity continues to serve as a driver of social cohesion, economic opportunity and cultural diversity in a rapidly changing world.