About half of Australian businesses are creating social media content using Gen AI, if the latest Capterra report is to be believed.

According to Capterra's 2024 GenAI for Social Content Survey, which included over 1,600 social media marketers worldwide, Australian businesses are leading the pack on using Gen AI for social content, creating an average of 49% of their social media content this way. This figure is expected to rise to 61% by 2026.

Over the next 18 months, marketers in Australia, the UK, Brazil, Canada, and Spain are expected to significantly increase their use of GenAI. A notable 78% of Australian respondents anticipate their company will increase spending on GenAI tools.

The primary reason Australian businesses use GenAI for social media content development is to improve productivity. More than Nine in 10 (91%) using GenAI for social content say the tech has saved them a moderate to significant amount of time. The top advantages of using GenAI for social media marketing are enhanced creativity (37%), increased efficiency (36%), easier idea generation (33%), and increased content production (32%).

However, the use of GenAI is not without its challenges. A substantial 96% of businesses worry GenAI could potentially harm their reputation. Quality-control issues, including factual errors, plagiarism, and bias, are reported by 56% of Aussie businesses using GenAI. Maintaining the authenticity of AI-generated content is a top challenge for 42% of Australian companies, as is ensuring the content resonates with audiences (31%).

"Businesses should use internal and external metrics to measure GenAI effectiveness, as they help track performance and understand the cost and impact on employee time and morale," said Andrew Blair, Analyst at Capterra. "As businesses increase their investment in GenAI, they must navigate its challenges and benefits, ensuring the technology supports rather than replaces human marketers."

Businesses are advised to create a formal internal policy for using GenAI responsibly, ensuring safety, legal compliance, and brand alignment.