Influencers Buying Social Platforms? The Shocking Truth About YouTube Subscribers, Tech Giants Come Together to Halt AI Development, and More!

The Creator Feed ??? by Renee Teeley ? & Jim Louderback

The Creator Feed is your resource for the latest news and trends in the creator economy. If you are new here, consider subscribing and sharing this newsletter with a friend so that they can also stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in the creator space.

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?? TECH LEADERS CALL FOR A PAUSE ON TRAINING AI SYSTEMS

An open letter endorsed by tech leaders such as Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak calls for a six-month pause on training AI systems more powerful than ChatGPT-4. The letter addresses concerns over AI systems potentially flooding information channels with propaganda and untruth, automating away jobs, and developing non-human minds that could eventually replace us. Is this a legitimate concern or a way for competitors to catch up? It's important to recognize that a pause on AI development wouldn't necessarily impact companies outside of the U.S. or halt global advancements. Though a pause may not be the best solution, establishing ethical guidelines and guardrails for AI development is crucial.

?? YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBER METRIC LOSING VALUE

As YouTube's Shorts feature gains popularity, the subscriber metric seems to be losing its value . Many creators have seen their subscriber counts balloon with the integration of Shorts, making subscriber count an increasingly unreliable metric for brands. Instead, average views per video, view retention, and past performance should be used to evaluate creators for potential partnerships. Separating out data for Shorts and long-form content will give a clearer picture of views and engagement for both formats. This would help brands make more informed decisions when working with creators. Remember, brand goals and creator goals matter – there isn’t one metric that tells the whole story.

?? What Industry Experts Are Saying:

• Ranking YouTube creators solely on views that mix short and long-form is a bit like ranking movies solely on a mix of trailers watched and tickets sold. It doesn’t tell you much at all about the breadth or depth of audience attention and affinity for the content and its creators. – Rob Gabel
• At this point, I believe Subs are not a valuable metric for brands or other creator partners. They simply indicate how many viewers may have come across a creator and liked a piece of content - not the creator's actual reach or fandom. – Avi Gandhi

?? SPOTIFY PARTNERS WITH CREATIVE JUICE

Spotify is growing its involvement in video podcasting by partnering with Creative Juice to expand its video podcast programming. The invite-only beta program provides select creators from the Creative Juice Network access to a white glove service, enabling them to test new podcasting products and enjoy dedicated promotions on Spotify. The selection of creators is based on their historical performance, estimated revenue, and a clear business vision. While Spotify's move into video podcasting is ambitious, time will tell regarding user behavior and whether the platform can successfully transition from audio-only to incorporating video content.

?? EPIC GAMES AND ROBLOX EMBRACE THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Epic Games and Roblox are taking significant steps to support creators within the gaming industry. Epic's "Creator Economy 2.0" includes a new version of the Unreal editor for Fortnite, which simplifies the process for creators to build experiences inside the game, with 40% of net revenue shared with the creators. Meanwhile, Roblox announced new AI tools at the Game Developer Conference, making it easier for creators to build and monetize in the 3D metaverse-like world. As these gaming companies continue to support creators and define the future of the metaverse, it remains to be seen how other platforms, like Meta, will adapt and find their niche in this evolving landscape.

?? UPCOMING SPEAKING SESSIONS

I am thrilled to announce that I've been added to the speaker lineup at the Creator Economy Expo (CEX ), taking place in Cleveland from May 1st to the 3rd. I'll be sharing my insights on how creators can make money using merch. Additionally, Jim Louderback and I will be joining forces in a panel session at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB ) event in Las Vegas on April 17th and 18th. Our session is focused on stories of success in the creator economy. Jim is also abroad and speaking at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy, April 19 - 23. We hope to see you somewhere around the world!

?? THE EMERGING TREND OF INFLUENCERS BUYING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS?

A fascinating development in the creator economy has piqued our interest: Elon Musk's recent acquisition of Twitter and the news that Marc D'Amelio, father of TikTok influencers Charlie and Dixie, is attempting to assemble a team and funds to buy TikTok . This raises the question of whether we are witnessing the beginning of a trend where top creators and influencers take ownership of the platforms they use. While the future of this potential trend remains uncertain, we are keeping tabs on the implications and possibilities of influencers taking the reins of social media platforms.

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