Report Suggests Nearly No One Is Buying AI Generated Goods

AI has spread across virtually every digital platform, with major companies fueling its growth. Yet, the enduring audience for AI‑generated media remains uncertain. While the flood of low‑quality content can be overwhelming, hard data provides clarity. A fresh report reveals that sales of AI‑produced goods have not seen any uptick, even as the technology becomes increasingly pervasive.

CGTrader, a veteran marketplace for 3D assets, released its latest annual trend report. The platform enables creators to buy and sell models for games, animation, 3D printing, and commercial use. According to 404 Media’s Emanuel Maiberg, roughly one‑sixth of new listings are AI‑generated. However, buyers are largely ignoring them, with AI items accounting for a mere 1% of total sales.

CGTrader CEO Dalia Lašaitė told Maiberg that the company’s aim isn’t to flood the market with AI creations. Instead, the focus is on equipping designers with faster tools so they can devote more time to creativity. Ultimately, purchasers will gravitate toward assets that best suit their needs, and the key distinction is not whether an asset is AI or human‑made, but whether it meets the required quality threshold.

The report indicates that buyers cite quality as the primary deterrent against AI‑generated goods. Only 5% of purchasers reported satisfaction with AI purchases, and a scant 4% of all users believe AI works well. It seems that if the final product can be produced with just a few prompts, many consumers question the value of buying something they did not personally create.

While the survey demonstrates a strong consensus among its user base, it also introduces new complications into CGTrader’s internal operations.

Last March, CGTrader secured a strategic partnership with tech titan Tencent to weave AI capabilities into its marketplace and refine user‑generated models, positioning the platform as a premier showroom for AI‑driven assets. Yet, sales data indicate that these models are largely gathering dust.

CGTrader is not alone in grappling with the AI paradox; every major platform is simultaneously investing millions into AI development while pruning the resulting excess from public view. This amplifies the core dilemma: no AI firm has yet cracked a profitable model, yet they continue to impose the burden on users.