Highwire’s 2027
Influencer Forecast
Trends Driving Influence in 2027 and Beyond
In our second annual Influencer Trends Forecast, Highwire looks at what will shape creator marketing in 2027.
Investment is growing, and creators are moving from standalone campaigns to the center of business strategy.
At the same time, AI is changing how programs run and how consumers find products, usage rights are becoming
a core planning decision, and compliance expectations are rising. Here’s what we see shaping the year ahead.
01 Influencer Marketing
Moves From Growth
to Integration
- $4.8M average creator investment
in 2026 - +33% year-over-year
investment growth - 66% of organizations
increasing spend - $13.7B projected U.S. spend
in 2027
Influencer marketing has earned its place in the marketing mix, and budgets show the commitment. Average annual creator investment hit $4.8M in 2026, up 33% year over year, with 66% of organizations increasing spend (CreatorIQ). U.S. influencer marketing spend is projected to reach $13.7B in 2027. With that much at stake, the advantage will go to brands that connect creators to broader marketing, communications, and business goals.
02 Usage Rights Are a
Core Part of Creator
Planning
Influencer partnerships are about more than the content. Usage rights now shape every creator partnership, setting how content will be used, where it will appear, and for how long (Digiday). There is no consistency in how usage pricing is presented, with some creators charging a flat monthly fee and others a percentage of paid media spend. In that environment, brands that define their intended use and pre-negotiate terms upfront will get more from their budgets and keep creators as trusted partners.
03 Human Connection
Becomes the
Competitive
Advantage in the Age
of AI
As AI becomes standard across discovery, content, and campaign management, trust is emerging as the key differentiator. Nearly half of brands name AI-related issues as the greatest threat to trust in creator marketing over the next three years (CreatorIQ). Audiences still turn to creators for real experiences and perspectives that automation cannot replace. In 2027, the winning model pairs AI to support operations with a human eye for creator vetting and selection, and relies on creators for the storytelling and audience connection AI can’t replicate.
04 Creators Become a
Channel for AI
Search Visibility
- 56% prefer AI shopping
recommendations
with creator
perspectives - 65% among Gen Z and
Millennials - >25% of AI answers
include
YouTube creator
content
As consumers turn to ChatGPT and Gemini for product research, brands are enlisting creators to shape what those large language models (LLMs) recommend. The Interactive Advertising Bureau found that 56% of consumers prefer AI shopping recommendations that include creator perspectives, rising to 65% among Gen Z and Millennials. YouTube creator content appears in more than 25% of AI-generated answers across select brand categories (Jellyfish). Winning brands will partner with niche subject matter experts and brief them to answer the specific questions shoppers ask.
* Across select brand categories (Jellyfish).
05 Creative Freedom
and Compliance
Have to Work
Together
Creators are juggling more than ever: performance targets, shifting platform algorithms, AI-powered tools, and tighter rules. The FTC’s revised Endorsement Guides make brands, agencies, and creators all potentially liable (FTC), and the definition of “endorser” now covers virtual and AI-created figures. The strongest programs build guardrails early, with clear briefs, disclosure standards, and cross-functional approval workflows to protect creative authenticity while ensuring compliance.