Why financial inclusion is now an AI story

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The creator economy has grown from the margins of digital culture into a significant source of global economic activity, with Goldman Sachs estimating <a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/the-creator-economy-could-approach-half-a-trillion-dollars-by-2027" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">it could reach $500B by 2027</a>. <a href="https://www.mastercard.com/mea/en/news-and-trends/stories/2025/content-creator-small-business-brands.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mastercard research</a> also found that 60% of Gen Zers want to be creators, underscoring how quickly content creation is becoming a mainstream career aspiration. Today, it includes a broad ecosystem of entrepreneurs, artists, freelancers and small businesses who use digital platforms to create content, reach audiences, build brands, sell products and services, and generate income. Its growth points to a larger question as to whether the systems around creators are keeping pace with the economic role they now play.That opportunity goes well beyond the size of the digital marketplace. For individuals, the creator economy can offer new pathways to entrepreneurship, flexible work, income generation, skills development and global market access, especially for young people, women and independent workers. For small businesses, creators can act as a bridge to customers, culture, commerce and trust by helping local enterprises market products, build communities and reach audiences in more authentic ways – an especially important role given that <a href="https://intel.morningconsult.com/mc-content/analyst-reports/influencer-marketing-trends-report" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">61% of Gen Z and millennial users</a> trust the recommendations, influence, or advice of creators.

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Wolgang Fengler

Co-Founder and CEO of World Data Lab

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For Mastercard, that makes the creator economy an inclusive-growth driver: a fast-growing part of the digital economy where better tools, payments, capital, protections and business support could help more people turn participation into sustainable livelihoods.During the 81st United Nations General Assembly Week, questions of growth, digital inclusion and the future of work were front and center. At the Mastercard NYC Tech Hub, we convened policymakers, creators, platforms, and financial services experts to discuss accelerators and challenges facing the creator economy, and how culture and creativity can be mobilized to transform inclusive growth. Joined by Former Colombian President Iván Duque, evangelist of the “orange economy,” he reflected on lessons from supporting the creative engine in Colombia via the “7 I’s”: Information, institutions, infrastructure, industry, inclusion, integration, and inspiration. Culture and creativity, he argued, can power economic transformation when governments and institutions recognize creative work as an industry and build the conditions around it.

Key takeaways from the discussion:<ol><li>Creators need to be defined to be understood. Andrea Casanova, creator and Co-Founder of Ginger for Creators, offered one of the clearest definitions of how the field is evolving, and provided her definition of “Creator-preneurs: Entrepreneurs who sit at the intersection of business, technology, content creation, and artistry.” This framing matters because many creators are not simply producing content; they are building brands, managing revenue streams, hiring collaborators, negotiating contracts, investing in equipment and services, and deciding how to reinvest in their work. </li><li>Low barriers to entry do not guarantee strong protections or support. Creator work can offer flexibility, visibility and income outside traditional employment, but participation is outpacing the systems needed to make that work stable and financially resilient. Christen Nino De Guzman, creator and Founder of Clara for Creators, captured the gap directly: “Creators are a workforce, but are not treated as such.” These challenges were further clarified by Hali Jama, creator and Founder of EmpOUR, who explained “Creators are often the first generation to access this type of income, and often don’t have people to ask about health insurance, benefits, or how to achieve stability and long-term security.”</li><li>Financial inclusion must work both ways. For many creators, <a href="https://www.globalsociety.earth/post/the-creator-economy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sustainable income still depends on a combination</a> of brand partnerships, platform monetization, consultancy and creative services. Creators may need business bank accounts, tax support, contract advice, reliable payments and access to capital that moves at the speed of their work. Ginger Siegel, who leads the Small Business team for North America at Mastercard, cautioned that the gap is not only on the creator side: “Most financial institutions don’t even understand small business, let alone creators. We need to help institutions understand the needs of creators, the problems they face – education for all institutions, around problems with cashflow or getting paid, to really support the ecosystem.”</li></ol>

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Looking aheadThe roundtable made clear that no single sector can solve these challenges alone. Platforms, financial institutions, policymakers, brands, agencies, educators and creator communities each have a role to play in helping creators move toward being recognized and supported as formal participants of the modern economy.

Cynthia Sanfilippo

President of Europe at TikTok

Recommendations for co-developing a thriving creator ecosystem:<ul><li>Recognize creators as entrepreneurs, small businesses and workforce participants — and design policies, products and support systems that reflect how they actually work. </li><li>Improve access to fast capital, business banking, payments and financial-management tools that match the pace and variability of creator income. </li><li>Strengthen protections around contracts, timely payment, intellectual property and benefits so creators have clearer pathways to stability and recourse. </li><li>Invest in responsible digital-presence education as more people build careers, credibility and businesses online. </li><li>Keep creators in the rooms where solutions are designed so new policies, platforms and financial tools are shaped by the people they are meant to support.</li></ul>The next phase of the creator economy should focus not only on helping more people participate, but on helping more creators compete, protect their work, build trust and turn content into resilient careers.

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The creator economy is an inclusive-growth driver: a fast-growing part of the digital economy where better tools, payments, capital, protections and business support could help more people turn participation into sustainable livelihoods.

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From content to careers: Building an inclusive creator economy