Creators Are Rebelling Against AI

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• Spotter invests $5 million in Aussie gaming creator EYstreem’s production company and plans to use the case to open a multimillion-dollar studio in Melbourne.

• The Tribeca Festival is launching a dedicated creator vertical for the first time, starting with a year-long talk series in partnership with creator company Whalar. The Tribeca X Awards have also introduced a new Creator/Influencer award, highlighting the festival's expanding recognition of social content creators.

• Like YouTube’s ad model, Instagram is testing unskippable ads that prevent users from browsing until they view the entire ad. A Meta spokesperson confirmed this feature, which aims to drive value for advertisers and aligns with Instagram's shift towards video content with Stories and Reels. Everyone hates it.

• TikTok is reportedly working on a US copy of the app independent of ByteDance.
  

Cara Is The Anti-AI Social Platform Challenging Instagram's Dominance

In an era where AI is rapidly transforming our digital landscape, the rise of the "Anti-AI" social platform Cara is fascinating. Over the past week, Cara has surged from 40,000 to 650,000 users, reflecting a significant wave of discontent among artists and creators. At the heart of this growth is a collective frustration with Instagram's parent company Meta’s new AI policies, which have led to widespread mislabeling of posts as AI-generated and have confirmed the use of public photos for training AI models.

Jingna Zhang, photographer and founder of Cara, has tapped into a deep-seated need within the artistic community for a safe haven where their work is respected and protected. Cara offers a platform combining Instagram's portfolio showcase with real-time updates but with a crucial difference: a staunch stance against using art for AI training without explicit consent.

Zhang’s personal battles over copyright infringement inform her mission to safeguard artists’ rights. By partnering with the University of Chicago’s Glaze Project, Cara employs a “cloaking” technique designed to prevent AI from scraping users’ posts. This innovative approach provides a much-needed layer of protection for creators wary of their work being repurposed by AI without their permission.

However, despite Cara’s impressive growth and the genuine concerns it addresses, it’s important to consider the broader context. With over 2 billion monthly active users, Instagram remains a powerhouse in the social media landscape. Its vast user base offers unmatched potential for artists to reach new audiences and grow their careers. For many, the exposure and opportunities provided by such a large platform outweigh the risks associated with AI policies.

So, would you use an upstart platform like Cara to protect your work from AI? The answer likely depends on your priorities and your specific challenges as a creator. Cara offers a compelling solution if safeguarding your art from unauthorized AI use is paramount. However, if reaching the widest possible audience and leveraging the network effects of major platforms is crucial for your career, the trade-offs may not be worth it.

Ultimately, the decision boils down to balancing the need for protection with the desire for visibility. Cara’s rise signals a growing demand for platforms that respect artists’ rights and its success could push larger platforms to rethink their policies. As AI continues to evolve, the conversation around how best to protect and promote creative work will remain a dynamic and critical issue.

Instagram

• is testing the option to send a reels draft to a friend for feedback. This is cool.

• is testing a 14-day trial of Meta Verified, giving Creators a non-committal way to test their paid verification system

Threads

• users can now swipe right on a post to like it, or swipe left to show they’re not interested.

TikTok

• released a fundamental guide for Small Businesses, a Creative Codes guide, and a Creative Made Simple guide.

YouTube

• is rolling out access to Community posts to all creators, ​​regardless of subscriber count.

• is testing AI-generated green screen image backgrounds for Shorts.

READ: Looking for ways to monetise as a creator? Subscribe to Creator Monetization and join 1,000 other creators and entrepreneurs.*

WATCH: Longtime YouTuber and filmmaker, Danny Gervitz, well known for making scrappy look professional, has debuted his feature film, I Think I’m Sick. The film is about a senior high schooler, Will, who repeats his final year after attempting suicide. He joins the cross-country team and meets Robin, who is unusually interested in Will's past.

LISTEN: Nine years ago I listened to a podcast episode titled, ‘The Living Room’ by Love + Radio and it has stayed with me ever since. I share this with you as it’s been a while since I’ve listened to a highly produced storytelling format podcast.

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