Substack publishers primarily deploy artificial intelligence for knowledge work rather than content creation, with research assistance, proofreading, and ideation emerging as the dominant applications, according to a new survey of over 2,000 platform users.
The most common applications include research assistance (64.5%), proofreading (62.9%), and ideation (61.8%). When used for content generation, image creation emerges as the most prevalent application at 41%.
A notable finding reveals AI’s role in addressing accessibility needs. Multiple publishers with conditions like ADHD and dyslexia report that AI tools help them organize thoughts and streamline writing processes. One blind publisher notes, “The applications of AI for increasing accessibility are enormous.”
Language translation is another significant use case, with nearly 17% of AI-using publishers utilizing these tools to translate writing, audio, and video across languages. Publishers under 45 are more likely to use AI for translation services compared to older cohorts.
The intensity of usage is high among adopters, with approximately 85% of AI-using publishers engaging with these tools on a daily or weekly basis, indicating that AI has become deeply integrated into their regular workflows.
AI Adoption
The survey reveals that AI adoption among publishers is nearly evenly split, with distinct implementation patterns emerging across different demographics and publication categories.
A total of 45.4% of publishers report using AI tools, while 52.6% abstain. Publishers aged 45 and older demonstrate higher AI usage rates than their younger counterparts, and male publishers report significantly higher adoption (55%) compared to female publishers (38%).
Adoption rates vary substantially across publishing categories, with technology publications showing the highest rates and literature-focused publications showing the lowest. The survey reveals a 64-point difference between these categories, marking the widest divide in responses. Despite these variations, AI usage remains relatively consistent across revenue levels, with no significant correlation between a publication’s earnings and its likelihood to employ AI tools.
Tools Powering Implementation
Among those implementing AI, ChatGPT is the primary tool, with nearly 80% of AI-using publishers reporting they utilize the platform. Claude (28.2%) and Grammarly (27.9%) emerge as the second and third most popular options, while image and video generation tools such as Midjourney (8.1%), Runway ML (1.6%), and Lumen5 (1.1%) see comparatively limited use.
Many respondents independently mention Perplexity, an AI-powered research engine, as a preferred tool.
Content Generation Practices
Despite concerns that AI will replace human creativity, the survey reveals limited use in actual content production. When asked to estimate AI’s contribution to their published content over the previous three months, most publishers report minimal actual content generation. The majority indicate they either haven’t used generative AI at all or have used it sparingly for their publications.
However, the survey identifies a small group of publishers who report using AI generation in 100% of their posts, representing an outlier approach to implementation.
Publisher Sentiment on Implementation
Publishers’ attitudes toward AI implementation reveal significant contrasts based on current usage patterns. Those already utilizing AI tools demonstrate markedly more optimism about the potential benefits of AI to their work, while non-users express higher expectations of harm or disruption.
AI-using publishers place substantial value on these tools. When asked what they would pay monthly to regain access if prevented from using AI, the average response approaches $140 per month, reflecting the perceived productivity value these tools deliver.
Despite this perceived value, slightly more than half of AI-using publishers acknowledge having reservations about implementation. Common concerns include potential erosion of creative style and voice, as well as ethical questions around AI training methods and intellectual property.
Among non-users, ethical considerations represent the primary deterrent to implementation, with over three-quarters citing such concerns as their reason for avoiding AI. These publishers also express apprehension about creative atrophy, with one respondent stating: “Creativity is like a muscle. You have to use it or it withers away.”
Future Implementation
The survey indicates that implementation decisions remain highly individualized. Transparency emerges as a critical consideration, with publishers questioning not only whether disclosure of AI use is necessary but also how such disclosure should be implemented.
One publisher envisions a future implementation environment where “human-created content will be ‘premium'” amid the proliferation of AI-generated material, suggesting that authentic human writing will become increasingly valued with widespread AI adoption.
Substack notes that some of its own features utilize AI technology, including automatic video clipping, image generation, and transcript creation for podcasts and videos. The company clarifies that these features are clearly marked in the product and remain optional.
All images are credited to Substack. The full survey is available here.
Nii A. Ahene is the founder and managing director of Net Influencer, a website dedicated to offering insights into the influencer marketing industry. Together with its newsletter, Influencer Weekly, Net Influencer provides news, commentary, and analysis of the events shaping the creator and influencer marketing space. Through interviews with startups, influencers, brands, and platforms, Nii and his team explore how influencer marketing is being effectively used to benefit businesses and personal brands alike.
Substack publishers primarily deploy artificial intelligence for knowledge work rather than content creation, with research assistance, proofreading, and ideation emerging as the dominant applications, according to a new survey of over 2,000 platform users.
The most common applications include research assistance (64.5%), proofreading (62.9%), and ideation (61.8%). When used for content generation, image creation emerges as the most prevalent application at 41%.
A notable finding reveals AI’s role in addressing accessibility needs. Multiple publishers with conditions like ADHD and dyslexia report that AI tools help them organize thoughts and streamline writing processes. One blind publisher notes, “The applications of AI for increasing accessibility are enormous.”
Language translation is another significant use case, with nearly 17% of AI-using publishers utilizing these tools to translate writing, audio, and video across languages. Publishers under 45 are more likely to use AI for translation services compared to older cohorts.
The intensity of usage is high among adopters, with approximately 85% of AI-using publishers engaging with these tools on a daily or weekly basis, indicating that AI has become deeply integrated into their regular workflows.
AI Adoption
The survey reveals that AI adoption among publishers is nearly evenly split, with distinct implementation patterns emerging across different demographics and publication categories.
A total of 45.4% of publishers report using AI tools, while 52.6% abstain. Publishers aged 45 and older demonstrate higher AI usage rates than their younger counterparts, and male publishers report significantly higher adoption (55%) compared to female publishers (38%).
Adoption rates vary substantially across publishing categories, with technology publications showing the highest rates and literature-focused publications showing the lowest. The survey reveals a 64-point difference between these categories, marking the widest divide in responses. Despite these variations, AI usage remains relatively consistent across revenue levels, with no significant correlation between a publication’s earnings and its likelihood to employ AI tools.
Tools Powering Implementation
Among those implementing AI, ChatGPT is the primary tool, with nearly 80% of AI-using publishers reporting they utilize the platform. Claude (28.2%) and Grammarly (27.9%) emerge as the second and third most popular options, while image and video generation tools such as Midjourney (8.1%), Runway ML (1.6%), and Lumen5 (1.1%) see comparatively limited use.
Many respondents independently mention Perplexity, an AI-powered research engine, as a preferred tool.
Content Generation Practices
Despite concerns that AI will replace human creativity, the survey reveals limited use in actual content production. When asked to estimate AI’s contribution to their published content over the previous three months, most publishers report minimal actual content generation. The majority indicate they either haven’t used generative AI at all or have used it sparingly for their publications.
However, the survey identifies a small group of publishers who report using AI generation in 100% of their posts, representing an outlier approach to implementation.
Publisher Sentiment on Implementation
Publishers’ attitudes toward AI implementation reveal significant contrasts based on current usage patterns. Those already utilizing AI tools demonstrate markedly more optimism about the potential benefits of AI to their work, while non-users express higher expectations of harm or disruption.
AI-using publishers place substantial value on these tools. When asked what they would pay monthly to regain access if prevented from using AI, the average response approaches $140 per month, reflecting the perceived productivity value these tools deliver.
Despite this perceived value, slightly more than half of AI-using publishers acknowledge having reservations about implementation. Common concerns include potential erosion of creative style and voice, as well as ethical questions around AI training methods and intellectual property.
Among non-users, ethical considerations represent the primary deterrent to implementation, with over three-quarters citing such concerns as their reason for avoiding AI. These publishers also express apprehension about creative atrophy, with one respondent stating: “Creativity is like a muscle. You have to use it or it withers away.”
Future Implementation
The survey indicates that implementation decisions remain highly individualized. Transparency emerges as a critical consideration, with publishers questioning not only whether disclosure of AI use is necessary but also how such disclosure should be implemented.
One publisher envisions a future implementation environment where “human-created content will be ‘premium'” amid the proliferation of AI-generated material, suggesting that authentic human writing will become increasingly valued with widespread AI adoption.
Substack notes that some of its own features utilize AI technology, including automatic video clipping, image generation, and transcript creation for podcasts and videos. The company clarifies that these features are clearly marked in the product and remain optional.
All images are credited to Substack.
The full survey is available here.
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