As we begin the New Year, we spoke to industry leaders to reflect on the shifts that shaped 2025 and the forces expected to define 2026.
For Harikrishnan Pillai, CEO and Co-Founder, TheSmallBigIdea, 2025 marked a complete creative reset.
According to him, one key trend that defined 2025 was:
The AI Creator Revolution: From Discovery to Normalisation
"2025 was unarguably the year AI in content creation came full circle. We witnessed its discovery, explosive adoption, public shock, and ultimately, normalization, all within twelve months. The industry experimented enthusiastically with AI-generated content, only to confront a critical realization: while AI excels at creation, it often lacks relatability and authenticity. The truth emerged clearly, even AI creations need compelling storytelling to truly come alive. This complete cycle, compressed into a single year."
What to Expect in 2026?
Looking ahead, Pillai believes the focus will shift from experimentation to intent, with three trends shaping how brands use content and platforms.
Storytelling Reclaims the Throne in AI Content
The normalization of AI-generated content will accelerate, but with a crucial shift: storytelling will reassert itself as the hero. Brands will move beyond the novelty of AI creation to focus on narrative depth and emotional resonance. We'll see AI treated as a production tool rather than a creative solution, with human storytelling sensibilities guiding every decision.
Brand Pages Transform into Entertainment Platforms
Social media brand pages will evolve from corporate notice boards into dynamic content engines. Brand IPs and characters will take center stage, with storytelling driving engagement while products subtly recede into the background. Brands will operate like individual content creators, building universes, developing narratives, and fostering genuine communities
Rise of the Social Media Content Programmer
The role of social media page managers will fundamentally transform into that of a content programmer. Professionals will approach platform strategy with data science rigor, treating content as testable hypotheses. Every post becomes an experiment: "If this is my input, what engagement rating am I generating?" Based on performance data, they'll systematically continue successful content formats and discontinue underperformers.
(As told to Ruchika Jha)
