Being an Influencer Can Be a Long-Term Career, Says Maharashtra CM Fadnavis

Being an influencer, does seem like a long term career option, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai. Responding to Outlook Business’ query if being a content creator can be a long term career, Fadnavis said that every time a new idea or trend emerges, it builds its own ethos.

“This community will eventually form its own value system, leading to organic, long-term sustainability,” he added. His statement comes at a time when the number of influencers have been increasing in the country. Interestingly, 65% of Gen Z individuals globally identify as content creators, as per YouTube’s 2024 Culture and Trends Report. Meanwhile, the same report indicates that 83% of Indian Gen Zs identified themselves as creators.

Speaking to Outlook Business earlier, says Swati Salunkhe, a Mumbai-based career counsellor said, “Out of 10 students I talk to everyday, at least 6–7 express interest in becoming influencers or content creators. Interestingly, even students in professional fields like medicine or engineering come to us saying, ‘I don’t want to continue this.’ It’s not limited to teenagers—21-year-olds and even professionals with five years of experience are considering a switch.”

The government has also increased its focus on content creation as a whole. At the inauguration of the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted that the creator economy will contribute to India’s GDP. He said, that the orange economy, another term for the creative economy, will be powered by creators and platforms like WAVES will help strengthen this movement. “This summit is not just an acronym—it is a real wave, a wave of culture, creativity, and commerce,” he noted.

The WAVES Summit, hosted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, is being held from May 1 to 4. The summit has drawn stakeholders from across the world to discuss the future of content creation, trade promotion, and emerging trends in the entertainment economy.