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    Picsart debuts engagement-based creator monetization program per TechCrunch

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    Creators earn revenue by making campaign content with AI tools and driving social media engagement

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    Move positions Picsart against Adobe and Canva in the $104 billion creator economy

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    Program could reshape how AI design platforms retain users amid intensifying competition

Picsart, the AI-powered design platform with over 150 million monthly users, just launched a creator monetization program that pays users based on audience engagement with branded campaigns. The move signals a major shift in how AI design tools compete for creator loyalty, putting Picsart in direct competition with Adobe’s Creator Economy initiatives and Canva’s Brand Partnership programs. According to TechCrunch, creators can now earn revenue by producing original content with Picsart’s AI tools for specific campaigns and sharing it across social channels.

Picsart is making its biggest play yet for creator loyalty. The AI design platform’s new monetization program flips the traditional software subscription model on its head by paying creators to use its tools rather than charging them monthly fees.

The program works by inviting creators to produce original content using Picsart’s AI-powered editing suite for specific brand campaigns, then share that content across their social media channels. Revenue flows based on how audiences engage with the posts – a performance-based approach that mirrors the creator economy’s shift toward outcome-driven compensation. According to TechCrunch, the initiative marks Picsart’s first formal creator revenue-sharing structure.

The timing couldn’t be more strategic. The creator economy hit $104.2 billion in 2024 and continues accelerating as platforms scramble to lock in talent. Adobe expanded its Creator Economy initiatives last year with direct brand matchmaking tools, while Canva rolled out its Brand Partnership program connecting designers with businesses. Picsart’s entry suggests AI design platforms now view creator monetization as critical infrastructure, not an add-on feature.

What makes Picsart’s approach distinct is its integration with AI tooling. The platform has invested heavily in generative AI features over the past 18 months, including text-to-image generation, AI-powered background removal, and automated design suggestions. By tying monetization directly to campaign performance using these tools, Picsart is essentially betting that AI-assisted content creation drives better engagement metrics than traditional design workflows.