Music creators could see their income fall by 24 percent, while those working in the audiovisual sector could lose 21 percent of their income due to the growing presence of AI-generated content in global markets. The report highlights that these disruptions are occurring at a pace that outpaces current policy responses, exacerbating inequalities and threatening the livelihoods of millions of cultural workers.
The shift towards digital production and consumption has created new opportunities but has also intensified economic uncertainty. Creators are experiencing increased exposure to intellectual property violations and diminishing returns on their work as AI-generated products enter the market.
Creative digital divide
Persistent global inequalities further exacerbate these challenges. While 67 percent of people in developed countries. possess essential digital skills, the figure is reduced to just 28 percent in developing countries. This digital divide, along with the growing dominance of major streaming platforms and opaque algorithms that make content difficult to see, is contributing to widening disparities among creators, particularly those operating in the Global South.
UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany stated 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 and 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 becoming even more marginalized as technologies evolve. The agency urges governments to mobilize 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.