Cover The creator economy has permanently disrupted the traditional job market (Photo: Generated with Gemini Imagen 3)
The creator economy has permanently disrupted the traditional job market (Photo: Generated with Gemini Imagen 3)
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Derek Toh, founder of Hiredly and Shermaine Wong, co-founder of Cult Creative weigh in on how the creator economy is rewriting the future of work
In less than five years, Malaysia’s content creation landscape has transformed from a niche segment into one of the most dynamic sectors in the country’s job market. In 2022, digital minister Gobind Singh Deo noted that the digital creative industry had recorded exports worth RM1 billion across 120 markets, with an annual growth rate of eight per cent.
It marked the emergence of the creator economy: a digital ecosystem where individuals or “creators” produce original content, products or experiences and monetise them directly through online platforms and social media, enabling independent creative entrepreneurship beyond traditional media gatekeepers. From TikTok creators and YouTube producers to digital strategists, AI animators, vibe-coding game producers, virtual content managers and more, these emerging positions have disrupted the traditional job market in unprecedented ways.
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Today, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) recognises the importance of new media and social platforms in this transformation, highlighting young creators as key drivers of industry growth and innovation. The Digital Content Ecosystem Policy (DICE) is seeking to establish Malaysia as a Regional Digital Creative Producer Hub by 2030 through funding, mentorship and opportunities for creators.
Content is no longer king; creators are. As social media platforms evolve into career accelerators and commerce engines, the ripple effects are being felt across every level of business, from hiring practices to sales strategies.
“Creators today have mastered something that many brands still struggle with, which is building real connections online,” says Derek Toh, founder and CEO of Hiredly, a leading recruitment platform built for modern professionals. “Many creators are running their own businesses, using their personal brand to sell products, promote services and attract their own team members,” Toh adds.
Above Derek Toh, founder and CEO of Hiredly (Photo: Hiredly)
Derek Toh, founder and CEO of Hiredly (Photo: Hiredly)
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This ability to cultivate trust at scale has shifted how companies view talent, and as data shows, it’s a two-way street. Hiredly’s latest Annual Work Culture Survey found that 91 per cent of job seekers consider a company’s online presence before applying, and over a third wouldn’t even consider employers without a positive digital footprint and reach. The solution is that companies need to act more like creators themselves, to build trust through engagement. “It’s companies that embrace working with creators who will win,” Toh insists.
The impact of the creator economy is perhaps most visible in the creative sector, where traditional agency structures are giving way to more fluid, collaborative models. Shermaine Wong, co-founder of Cult Creative, witnessed this shift firsthand when her platform (opened in 2020) evolved from a freelancer network to becoming a creator marketing platform, empowering creators to connect with brands “to co-create impact, not just content.”
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“The shift happened organically late 2023, when we started noticing that brands weren’t just looking for freelance designers or copywriters—they were looking for creators who could move culture and move product,” Wong explains. “We realised that the future of work wasn’t just about freelance gigs. It was about creators owning their influence, building niche communities and becoming partners in storytelling.
This pivot reflects a broader transformation in how brands approach creative partnerships. “There’s been a big mindset shift,” Wong says. “Brands used to see creators as a distribution channel—someone to post a pretty picture and tag them. Now, the best brands view creators as strategic partners who deeply understand their niche audiences.”
The change in expectations is striking. “We’ve seen brands and agencies ask for creators who can influence purchase, not just engagement,” Wong observes. “They want creators who understand conversion journeys, can speak the brand’s tone without losing their authenticity, and who are open to co-creating with data. It’s no longer about ‘reach’—it’s about resonance.”
Above Shermaine Wong, co-founder of Cult Creative (Photo: Cult Creative)
Shermaine Wong, co-founder of Cult Creative (Photo: Cult Creative)
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The AI disruption
Underpinning this transformation is the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, which is simultaneously disrupting traditional employment whilst amplifying creative possibilities. “AI is getting incredibly good at anything that can be done through a screen,” Toh warns. “Whether it’s writing reports, generating digital art, drafting legal documents or even coding, it’s already starting to outperform humans in these areas.”
The implications are far-reaching. “If it’s work that operates in the digital space, the AI will move faster than a human. With reports that AI is operating at an IQ of 150, it’s already smarter,” Toh says. “So naturally, digital-based roles that can be done remotely are the first in line for disruption. This is not great news for people who advocate for more remote working but it’s unfortunately true.”
However, Toh is certain some sectors remain resilient. “Jobs that involve physical work or strong social skills, like those in healthcare, hospitality or leadership, will likely be more resilient. These roles rely on human connection, context and real-world interaction, which are much harder for AI to access.”
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Rather than viewing AI as a threat, forward-thinking creators are embracing it as a creative amplifier. “AI is lowering the barrier to creativity,” Toh says. “Take comic strips, for example. You used to need drawing skills to bring a story to life. Now, AI can do the drawing, and you can focus on the storytelling. That opens doors for people who have great ideas but lack the technical skills to express them.”
Yet human creativity remains irreplaceable. “Still, creativity is deeply human. Just like people still love watching humans play chess, even though AI can beat any grandmaster, the value of art often lies in knowing a human made it. AI might help bring an idea to life, but it’s the human behind the idea that makes it meaningful. I suspect anything that is 100 per cent AI generated will not resonate with the general public.”
Above In 2022, Malaysia’s digital creative industry had recorded exports worth RM1 billion across 120 markets (Photo: Generated with Gemini Imagen 3)
In 2022, Malaysia’s digital creative industry had recorded exports worth RM1 billion across 120 markets (Photo: Generated with Gemini Imagen 3)
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Essential skills for the new world order
In this evolving landscape, certain competencies have become non-negotiable. Toh emphasises the importance of emotional intelligence: “Today, understanding people, how they think, feel and make decisions, is a big advantage. With AI handling much of the heavy lifting, what sets great work apart is taste, intuition and emotional intelligence.”
Being AI-literate is equally crucial. “You should be comfortable using it,” Toh says. “Embrace the tools that make you more productive and creative. The best talent won’t resist AI. They’ll use it to amplify their abilities.”
For creators specifically, Wong identifies several essential skills: “Beyond strong content creation, creators need to develop narrative thinking. Can they tell a story that feels personal, but aligns with brand objectives?” She also highlights audience intelligence (what they care about), platform fluency (knowing what’s best received across different platforms), collaboration maturity (being easy to work with and reliable with deadlines) and data literacy. “Data literacy is a game-changer. Creators who can understand their analytics and make content decisions based on insights instantly stand out.”
The creator economy has spawned entirely new job categories. “Five years ago, ‘creator’ wasn’t even a formal job title,” Wong reflects. At Cult Creative, roles such as client success manager, creator network manager and creator ops intern have emerged to support this ecosystem. “These roles are often hybrid—part storyteller, part marketer, part producer—and they’re helping to reshape what the future creative workforce looks like.”
It’s companies that embrace working with creators who will win
Success metrics have also evolved correspondingly. “The biggest shift is that virality is no longer the goal, relevance is,” Wong says. While engagement rates remain important, brands now prioritise saves and shares, click-through rates on creator-generated advertisements, sentiment analysis and longer view durations. “We’re also seeing qualitative success indicators—like when a creator starts being known for a brand. That’s cultural equity you can’t buy with ads alone.”
For companies and creators alike, adaptability is paramount. Toh advocates for flexibility in hiring practices: “Be flexible. Think beyond full-time hires. Embrace freelancers, project-based collaborations and talent who bring fresh, diverse perspectives.”
He also urges employers to embrace AI usage rather than penalise it: “And when it comes to hiring, don’t penalise candidates for using AI. Encourage it. Ask them to ‘cheat’ with AI. The next generation of talent will be AI-augmented. So if someone uses AI to ace your case study, it’s smart and resourceful. You want this performer to ace their work when they join you.”
Wong’s advice centres on building meaningful relationships: “For creators: Don’t chase every trend. Build depth over reach. Understand your audience so well that brands trust you with theirs. For companies: Invest in long-term creator relationships. The future isn’t in one-off posts, it’s in partnerships that evolve. Think of creators as your creative department, media team and cultural translator all in one.”
We realised that the future of work wasn’t just about freelance gigs. It was about creators owning their influence
Perhaps most significantly, the creator economy has democratised access to creative careers. “The creator economy has cracked open the gates of the creative industry,” Wong says. “You no longer need agency credentials to launch a career in content. You need consistency, clarity and connection. The barriers to entry have lowered, but the bar for trust is higher than ever.”
This shift represents a fundamental reimagining of how creative value is generated and distributed. “At Cult Creative, we believe this shift is empowering a more inclusive, decentralised and authentic creative industry—one where creators don’t just work for brands, they build them,” Wong concludes.
Toh reflects on the broader implications: “Work is always changing, and it always will. Technology pushes things forward, and the creator economy is just the latest example. Instead of resisting the change, the real question to ask is, how do we adapt and win in this new landscape?”
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