Content Creation in the Age of Generative AI

Implications for Value and Scale

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The AI revolution changed not just how we create — but how much we store

GenAI has fuelled a proliferation of new and richer content, driving data growth at unprecedented speed. The IDC study, sponsored by Seagate, reveals how GenAI is reshaping enterprise content.

Richer, more complex content

GenAI drives the creation of larger, higher fidelity files and increasingly sophisticated media assets

Greater replication and reuse

GenAI has a multiplying effect on content generation, leading to more variations and derivative content

Demand for more and longer data retention

GenAI is not only increasing the amount of data that enterprises need to save, but also the need to store data for longer periods

Democratization of content creation

GenAI opens creation to more people in more roles, with fewer barriers

GenAI is making content bigger, richer and more complex

From text to high-resolution video, GenAI is expanding both the quantity and quality of enterprise content

New kinds of content, new data demands

78% of organisations are now generating content they never produced before — everything from 3D product visuals to AI-enhanced training simulations

File size growth with compounding effects

More than 70% say files are already larger and richer, with video and image formats driving massive increases in storage requirements

Survey chart shows 72% say generative AI helped to create new content with 27% of respondents answering no and 1% unsure.

GenAI’s iterative nature means multiplied content

GenAI enables near-limitless variation — creating opportunities for reuse, and amplifying data storage needs

More versions, more volume

57% of organisations now produce multiple content variations more frequently since adopting GenAI

Ease of generation means freedom of experimentation

46% of respondents say the ease of generation has led to their organisation saving higher volumes of similar or excess files

Survey graphic notes 57% of respondents store more content since adopting generative AI, and of this group, 30% store more variations and 27% store more versions.

Creative iteration

GenAI is reshaping how organisations approach content development, testing and reuse

AI-generated content has lasting value

As organisations recognise the long-term value of AI-created data, retention periods are on the rise

Archiving with purpose

42% are already adopting tiered and archived storage strategies to manage long-term retention efficiently

Storage growth is inevitable

66% of respondents expect moderate to significant storage increases over the next two years due to GenAI

“The key question is no longer whether data volumes will rise, but how enterprises can harness that scale to deliver measurable value.”

— IDC

GenAI puts creation in everyone’s hands

By lowering barriers to entry, GenAI is empowering employees across every function to generate content at scale and speed. Over 50% of respondents report using GenAI for over a year, and 45.5% use it daily.

Creative capacity unlocked

Three out of four organisations say non-creative teams now produce content, expanding output across departments

Speed and scale redefined

79% report faster content creation, enabling organisations to move from idea to execution in record time

Scale demands strategy

GenAI is making storage planning a strategic priority

As AI-generated data multiplies, organisations are recognising that every byte holds potential business value — from training future models to enhancing customer experiences. Storage is shifting from a cost centre to a strategic enabler of AI performance, with high-capacity hard drives forming the foundation of architectures built to scale for future data demands.

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Explore high-capacity hard drives

How can organisations prepare for the AI data economy?

IDC recommends taking 5 practical steps

1. Adopt scalable, tiered storage architectures

Plan for surging data volumes with a foundation of high-capacity HDDs for cost-efficient, durable long-term storage

2. Redefine performance for AI workloads

When future-proofing storage, think beyond latency — consider throughput, write endurance and efficiency at fleet scale

3. Plan for governance and life-cycle management

Establish clear retention policies to balance data value with cost and compliance

4. Leverage hybrid and cloud models

Combine on-premises and cloud-based hard drive storage for elasticity, resilience and economic efficiency

5. Prepare your people for AI workflows

Train teams to manage, store and extract value from GenAI-generated content across its life cycle

Ready to learn more?

Our specialists are here to help you choose the right storage solutions to grow your AI data with confidence.

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Source for all data and images on this page: IDC White Paper, sponsored by Seagate Technology, Content Creation in the Age of Generative AI: Implications for Value and Scale, US53817625, October 2025

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