AI Video Platform OYE Launches to Transform Advertising Landscape

The advertising industry is undergoing a rapid transformation due to the rise of AI technologies, particularly in video production. On July 10, the AI video platform 'OYE' (Open Your Eyes) was officially launched, designed to connect everyday creators directly with brands. OYE allows users to monetize AI-generated content and advertisements without the need for traditional agencies or production companies, fostering direct collaboration between brands and creators.

OYE's inaugural project is the 'OYE AI Advertising Challenge,' where participants can create approximately 30-second advertisements using AI tools based on registered brands or products. The first featured product is Miima's bidet wet wipes, commonly known in the market. All participants will receive a reward of 5,000 KRW, with a grand prize of 1 million KRW and opportunities for actual brand collaborations. If selected videos are used in real advertising campaigns, additional earnings will be based on view counts. An OYE representative stated, "The challenge aims to lower the barriers to video production with AI and facilitate direct connections between brands and creators. New brands and products will be added regularly, allowing creators to participate anytime for rewards or advertising revenue."

The advertising market is rapidly shifting away from traditional agency models, especially with the proliferation of generative AI technologies. Global platforms like Meta and Google are introducing tools that automate content creation, target analysis, and ad execution, leading advertisers to prefer direct campaign management without intermediaries. This shift has impacted major advertising agencies, with WPP's stock dropping over 40% this year, attributed to the rise of AI-based self-service advertising tools. Although WPP has launched its own AI system, 'WPP Open,' the structural changes in the market are already underway.

Market forecasts support this trend, predicting the global AI advertising market will grow from approximately $6.7 billion in 2023 to $28.4 billion by 2033, with the overall AI marketing sector expected to exceed $80 billion by 2030. Notably, spending on AI-driven search advertising is projected to rise from 1% of the total in 2025 to 13.6% by 2029, indicating a complete transition to AI-centric processes in ad creation, execution, and performance measurement.

In South Korea, similar trends are emerging. KT recently held a large-scale AI advertising competition for the general public, planning to use winning entries in its campaigns. The cosmetics brand Gohonjins is also launching an AI-based video contest, where consumer-created ads will be adopted as official brand content for marketing purposes. OYE differentiates itself by offering a continuous platform structure that connects brands and creators beyond one-time competitions.

Looking ahead, OYE plans to expand its ecosystem beyond advertising content to include AI-generated short dramas, music videos, and animations. To enhance accessibility for novice creators, OYE will provide online classes, share and sell prompts and templates, offer free credits for various creation tools, and share IP from celebrities or webtoon characters. The platform aims to facilitate creator monetization through brand matching systems, global distribution integration, performance-based revenue sharing, advertising analysis tools, and copyright filtering and registration systems, with plans to introduce Web3-based fan sponsorship features in the future.

OYE emphasizes that in the AI era, anyone can quickly become a creator of high-quality content and contribute to advertising while being rewarded for it. While some may question OYE's role in a market dominated by platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, the reality is that over 90% of creators who enter these platforms often abandon them due to unmet revenue expectations. OYE focuses on connecting everyday creators with brands and IP holders, enabling rapid content generation and distribution through AI, allowing creators to earn revenue with minimal entry costs.

In related news, YouTube announced on July 9 that it will implement a policy limiting revenue generation from repetitive, mass-produced content created using AI, effective July 15. This move appears to be a significant overhaul aimed at preventing AI-generated content from overwhelming the platform. Such policies from major tech platforms may inadvertently encourage the emergence of AI-focused platforms like OYE, raising questions about whether these new platforms will be seen as alternative revenue sources for creators.