Wistia, a leading video marketing platform, released its 2025 State of Video Report today in Cambridge, Mass., revealing how businesses increasingly use AI in video production and leverage video for marketing.
Based on insights from over 14 million videos, 100,000 businesses, and a survey of 1,300 professionals, Wistia’s report highlighted that AI is significantly speeding up video creation and making it more accessible. AI adoption for video creation has skyrocketed to 41% in 2025, up from 18% in 2024.
This surge in AI usage signals how brands are streamlining video production. The Wistia report found that marketers primarily use AI for pre-production and post-production tasks. Over 60% of respondents use or plan to use AI captions, while 38% leverage AI for voice dubbing, and 31% for language translation.
The report found spikes in captioning use in videos—to the tune of 572% since 2021, making it the top accessibility feature marketers deploy. Marketers who invest in videos say finding steady returns across lead generation and conversions justifies the expense. Camera-targeted analyses find 57% of marketers boosted their video budgets.
Despite economic pressures, a mere 5% of companies reduced their video budgets this year. In contrast, over half (57%) increased spending on video. The main drivers in 2024 were company goals (60%) and product launches (52%).
However, obstacles remain. Companies cite size, resources, cost, and technical capabilities as primary barriers to increased video production. Educational, product, and social media videos topped the list of video types prioritized in 2024.
To better connect with viewers, 34% of marketers focus on engagement rates, while 29% track conversion rates. Short videos (under 1 minute) capture the highest average engagement at 50%. Despite the surge in short-form content, engagement rates for medium-length (5-30 minutes) and long-form videos (30-60 minutes) remain strong.
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In line with the growing use of AI in video production, marketers recognized significant engagement spikes for how-to videos. Marketers find immediate calls to action (CTAs), especially in short videos, convert nearly 40% of viewers.
Influenced by the success of video marketing and the benefits of AI integration, marketers continue to evolve their strategies to maximize viewer interactions and conversion rates.
The full 2025 State of Video Report offers in-depth insights and data on current video trends and strategies.
When nearly half of surveyed professionals now use AI to cut down on the tedium of editing, Wistia isn’t precisely foreshadowing doom for the video production industry. However, when 57% of marketers are boosting their video budgets despite economic challenges, businesses clearly see video as a driving investment, especially where immediate conversion is key.
The 572% prioritization bump for captioning since 2021 highlights how marketers have been quick to integrate accessibility features, fostering a more inclusive audience reach. Short videos may lead engagement for quick consumption, but medium- and long-form content’s resilience shows length isn’t the only factor determining success.
With video embracing AI tools, post-production tasks are seeing particular transformation: alongside subtitles and translation, voice dubbing is now under 40% adoption. This surge in AI for content localization, however, speaks more to the need for broader reach than deeper connection. The 57% of companies who boost video budgets suggest a measured growth ahead, mitigated by budgets instead of overhauled by AI.
Still, important hurdles like cost, size, and technical limitations persist and hinder growth. For marketers to tap into long-form video’s potential, substantial resources will be required, whether or not this entails significant budget reallocation or technical upgrades.
The engagement rates expected from how-to videos underscore how targeted content fosters conversion. Immediate CTAs in short videos pulling nearly 40% of viewers definitely suggest quick, digestible content remains the most effective. Long-form or not, focused content forgoes the need for lavish editing—AI tools simply making production easier.
