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There’s never been a better time to be human.
In a nutshell
- 78% of consumers trust videos featuring real people Even as AI video tools become more accessible, more than content without visible humans
- 82% of viewers say they have watched an AI-generated video36% report a decline in trust in brands.
- Human presence is important for all age groupsincluding younger consumers who are generally more familiar with AI technology.
- Marketers want AI to help them, not replace them human creativity. They put their real faces on camera while using editing and scripting tools.
- Winning strategy: Let AI handle production tasks like transcription and initial editing, but keep humans in the final video to maintain trust and authenticity.
Brands have spent years perfecting their video marketing strategies, testing everything from length to lighting to call-to-action placement. Now, timely research suggests that the most effective trust-building tool may be simply being on camera.
Nearly 78% of consumers say they trust videos featuring real people, according to a study by video production platform Animoto. That preference remains, even as AI-generated video tools flood the market and brands race to produce more content, faster.
The findings come from Animoto’s State of Video 2026 report, which is based on a survey of 460 Americans, split between general consumers and marketing professionals. Now that artificial intelligence can generate entire videos from text prompts, data shows the age-old truth that people still want to meet other people.
Farooq Kamran, one of the survey respondents, explained the appeal: “I use video because it’s the most powerful way to tell stories, share emotions, and connect with people.”
Trust gap between human and AI content
Human facial preferences are not just a matter of beauty. More than 82% of consumers report watching videos that appear to be generated by AI, and 36% of them say they have less trust in the brand behind the video.
This creates a numbers problem for marketers. Even if AI tools can help speed up video production, the resulting content can inspire skepticism, defeating the whole purpose of creating videos in the first place.
Another study cited in the report found that 88% of consumers consider brand trust to be as important as price and quality when making a purchase. Three-quarters of U.S. adults think it is very important to know whether an image, video, or text was created by AI or a human.
This confidence penalty occurs regardless of whether the viewer correctly identified the AI content. Respondent Olga Mirković said the study found that consumers believe they can spot AI-generated videos based on a “set of signals” and contextual inconsistencies. It doesn’t matter if they are right or not. Perception alone influences how people view your brand.
Why does human existence work?
Video combines visual and audio elements, capturing facial expressions and body language, creating the feeling that someone is speaking directly to the viewer rather than broadcasting to them. That personal connection seems to be more important than the sophistication of the production.
The researchers only surveyed participants who were already familiar with AI tools such as ChatGPT and video generators, so these participants were not new to technology. Even among users who understood how AI worked, there was still a strong preference for a human presence.
Animoto also collected responses from over 100 of its own users to add context beyond the numbers. These responses revealed that when a video lacks human engagement, viewers can often sense it even if they can’t explain exactly what it is that makes them uncomfortable.
Another respondent, Aaliyah Miller, explained the teachings this way: “We want our content to feel authentic. Some AI-generated videos have a look and feel that tells you it’s AI. Videos should be engaging and fresh, and the AI should be able to provide that to the user or viewer.”
Marketing staff response
While it’s good for brands, the marketing professionals surveyed aren’t trying to remove the human from video. Despite the pressure to produce more content, faster, marketers still want to control what footage is used, how it represents their brand voice, and when it appears on camera.
Survey respondent Roya Safarian explained balance this way: “AI can enhance storytelling as long as the brand remains human. The key is balance. Technology should support the message, not replace the authentic voice behind it.”
This suggests a new approach where AI handles the grunt work (transcribing, initial editing, draft scripts) while humans remain visible in the final product. This technology speeds up production without incurring the trust penalty that occurs when videos feel synthetic.
Beth Forester, CEO of Animoto, summarized the findings: “The data is clear: Consumers are interested in AI, but they have confidence in humans. Generative AI can speed up and scale up video creation, but it is no substitute for reliability.”
practical points
For brands looking to meet the content demands of 2026, this research offers a simple strategy: use faces.
Videos that feature company founders, employees, customers, or anyone else who can speak authentically about your brand perform better than content that has a human behind it. This is true even if the AI helped script the video, edit the footage, or generate the initial concept.
The strength of video lies in its ability to convey emotion and build connections in a way that text or still images cannot. Even as AI changes the way videos are created, the fundamental reasons why people interact with them remain the same.
Audiences are not opposed to AI assisting with content creation. They object to content that feels like it was created without any human involvement. Show your face, use your own footage, and maintain your unique voice. Brands that follow this formula can benefit from the increased efficiency of AI without sacrificing the credibility that comes from a real human presence.
Taken together, this poll suggests that in a world where anyone can generate a video with a few text prompts, the real competitive advantage belongs to brands willing to get in front of the camera.
Research method
Animoto conducted a mixed-methods study in September 2025 examining how video and AI are changing content creation and audience trust. This study combined quantitative and qualitative approaches to understand both marketers’ intentions and consumers’ perceptions.
The quantitative part surveyed 460 eligible US participants divided into two groups. The consumer segment included adults ages 22-64 who watched at least one branded video in the past month. The marketer segment includes adults ages 22 to 64 who work for companies with 10 to 1,000 employees and personally create or supervise video production at least once a month. All respondents confirmed that they were familiar with AI tools such as ChatGPT, image and video generators, and text-to-speech systems. The researchers screened out people who had no experience with video or AI.
In a qualitative follow-up study, we collected open-ended responses from more than 100 Animoto users. These responses provided context and direct quotes featured throughout the report.
The research design compared creator intentions and viewer perceptions, examining both aspects of the video environment rather than focusing solely on either content creators or consumers. This approach revealed where marketers’ assumptions matched audience expectations and where gaps existed.
