AI-powered design platform Picsart has launched a creator monetisation programme, the company announced exclusively to TechCrunch. The initiative is open to all users globally, with no minimum audience size or invitation required, marking a significant shift in the company's business model.
Creators can now earn revenue by creating original content for specific Picsart campaigns and sharing it on their social channels. Earnings are calculated based on audience engagement metrics, including views, comments, shares, and reach, rewarding creative output and performance over sheer follower count.
How the Programme Works
Upon signing up, creators gain access to a dashboard displaying current creative prompts and challenges. One example campaign asks users to generate "cute fluffy creatures" using Picsart Aura, the platform's AI conversational assistant for image and video generation.
The company emphasises that simply generating and posting AI images without creative effort will not drive meaningful engagement or earnings. After creating content, users submit a short form with the asset's URL, tag it per campaign rules, and describe its creation process within Picsart.
A New Revenue Stream for the Community
Content is shared directly to a creator's own Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X accounts. Creators can track accrued earnings on their dashboard and withdraw funds via Stripe. "We’ve always believed that creativity should be for everyone — and now, so should the rewards," said Picsart founder and CEO Hovhannes Avoyan.
Avoyan stated the programme addresses a "structural problem" in the creator economy, where platforms have not committed to compensating everyday creators. Picsart says there are earning opportunities for all content types, including tutorials, aesthetic edits, and short-form videos.
Strategic Expansion for a Unicorn
Founded in 2011, Picsart boasts more than 130 million users worldwide and achieved unicorn status during the 2021 creator economy boom. This monetisation push follows closely on the company's recent launch of an AI agent marketplace, where creators can "hire" AI assistants for tasks like resizing social content or editing product photos.
The dual moves signal Picsart's strategic evolution from a standalone creative tool into a comprehensive platform where users can both create and derive direct financial benefit from their work.