Monday Memo: AI Side Hustles
Jason Reddick’s *The Complete Guide to AI Side Hustles* shows broadcasters and podcasters how to turn their trusted voices into scalable revenue streams. By pairing AI‑generated audio with human nuance, talent can offer high‑trust services such as tourism guides, corporate narration, and e‑learning voice‑overs. The guide also teaches creators to repurpose existing shows into newsletters, blogs, and evergreen micro‑products that solve everyday problems. Reddick argues that AI amplifies, not replaces, talent, enabling media professionals to stay relevant in a fast‑moving digital economy.
Cameo’s TikTok Partnership Targets the Gap Between Creator Fame and Creator Revenue
Cameo has partnered with TikTok to embed its booking links inside TikTok Minis, allowing U.S. creators with 50,000+ followers to sell personalized video messages without leaving the app. The integration, months in the making, addresses the creator‑economy friction where TikTok’s...
From Wire Services to Viral Clips: The White House Briefing Room’s Shift Toward Creator Media
The Trump White House has opened the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room to podcasters, bloggers and social media influencers, creating a dedicated “new media” seat. Within weeks, more than 12,000 creator applications were submitted, and outlets ranging from Breitbart...
Creator Economy Event Calendar – May 10, 2026 – Cannes Film Market, The Podcast Show, and TikTok Shop Lead a...
A packed creator‑economy calendar dominates mid‑May 2026, spanning Cannes and multiple London venues. Highlights include the Cannes Creator Economy Summit on May 17, which explores how digital creators are reshaping film financing and distribution, and the two‑day Podcast Show (May 20‑21) that...
NewGen Bolsters U.S. Talent Department With Two Senior Hires From Kinetic Group, Bad Moon Talent
NewGen, a creator agency, has bolstered its U.S. talent department by hiring Joowon Lee as Associate Talent Director and Mark Sharman as Senior Talent Manager. Lee arrives from The Kinetic Group with a roster that includes the Baka Bros, Jalon...
The Exact Hire That Took This Creator From Burned Out to $30K Months
Courtney Johnson, a content creator with 500,000 followers, hired an operations manager for $2,500 a month, later promoting her to COO at $8,000 a month. The hire freed Johnson to focus on content, doubling her monthly revenue from $15,000 to...
This Gen Zer Dropped Out of College to Become an Influencer—Now He’s a Millionaire From Selling Products Like Medicube and...
Logan Walter, a 21‑year‑old Gen Z creator, quit college to sell beauty and lifestyle products on TikTok Shop, amassing over $1 million in revenue within two years. His follower base grew to 250,000, and monthly earnings surged past $20,000 after a...
Around the Globe with the eActros 600 in 80 Charging Sessions
Mercedes‑Benz Trucks is partnering with German truck‑driver influencer Tobias Wagner to circumnavigate the globe in a production eActros 600 electric truck. The 45,000‑kilometre journey across more than 35 countries will involve roughly 80 charging stops and is slated to begin in...
Why the Founder of Kongregate Believes that Roblox Is Its Successor
Jim Greer, co‑founder of Kongregate and now Senior Director of Game Solutions at Roblox, says the platform is the modern successor to Flash‑based game portals. Roblox is leveraging its massive creator community to attract older gamers, with 26% of verified...
Creators’ Data Could Be Worth Millions, and They’re Giving It Away For Free
The creator economy is built on platforms that harvest and sell the data behind every post, video, or photo. Tech founder Gerald Carter discovered that his extensive photo archive was repurposed for AI training under outdated contract terms, prompting a...
Conecta Fiction & Entertainment Heads to Magaluf-Mallorca for 10th Edition With AI, Microdrama, Creator Economy in Focus
Conecta Fiction & Entertainment celebrates its 10th edition by relocating to Magaluf‑Mallorca, running May 25‑28 at the Meliá Calvià Beach Hotel. The forum will host more than 40 activities and roughly 100 speakers covering AI, vertical microdramas, IP control, financing and...
PI LIVE Europe and AAB Launch the Agency Ecosystem Map
PI LIVE Europe and the Agency Advisory Board (AAB) have released the inaugural Agency Ecosystem Map, a free, searchable database of agencies operating in the affiliate, partnership, influencer and creator economies. The map, refreshed every six months, categorises agencies by...
Ex-Prime Video UK Boss Chris Bird Launches Two AI Ventures, One With ‘The Boy Who Lived’ Director Dan Hartley
Former Prime Video UK chief Chris Bird has launched two AI ventures aimed at content creators. HawksHead AI offers a predictive analytics platform that uses proprietary AI and synthetic panels to forecast audience response and guide script, casting and creative...
MrBeast Is Wooing Big Advertisers at an Invite-Only Gathering in NYC. Here's What He's Planning.
Creator-driven media company Beast Industries is hosting an invite‑only breakfast in Manhattan to pitch its brand‑partnership vision to top advertisers and agency executives. The event, timed with the traditional TV upfronts week, signals the growing competition between creator‑led platforms and...
Inside Expedia’s Year-Long Partnership with Mega Creator IShowSpeed
Expedia has signed a year‑long partnership with mega‑creator IShowSpeed, whose 150 million followers span YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. The deal, estimated at $250,000, includes a Caribbean livestream, an interactive travel‑site and a dedicated TikTok account, and gives Speed full creative control....
James Packer Takes Stake in OnlyFans
Australian media heir James Packer, through his vehicle Consolidated Press Holdings and U.S. firm Architect Capital, acquired a 16% minority stake in OnlyFans' parent Fenix International for A$739 million (about US$535 million). The transaction values the platform at roughly A$4.3 billion, or US$2.9 billion,...
Instagram Eyes Long-Form Content on CTV
Instagram is planning to add long‑form video to its connected‑TV (CTV) app, according to Vice President of Product Tessa Lyons at the Scalable Summit. The move is intended to complement the platform’s short‑form focus and give creators tools for podcasts, live...
Meet the YouTube Whisperers, a Booming Class of Advisors Behind MrBeast and Other Million-Dollar Channels
YouTube’s creator economy is maturing into a high‑value industry, with the platform now delivering 12.7% of U.S. streaming traffic and having paid out over $100 billion to creators since 2021. A growing class of consultants, exemplified by Paddy Galloway, charge $15,000‑$12,000 per...
'Podslop' Is a Real and Growing Problem — Data Shows 39% of New Podcasts Are Now 'Likely' Generated by AI....
Bloomberg data shows 39% of new podcasts are likely AI‑generated, a trend dubbed “podslop.” Companies such as Inception Point AI can churn out hundreds of shows daily using tools like Notebook LM, while AI‑driven hits like the Epstein Files have amassed...
Patrick Sammon, Hubert Kos, and Ilya Kharun Looking To Grow Swimming With A New Audience: Twitch
Three former Arizona State teammates—Patrick Sammon, Hubert Kos and Ilya Kharun—have launched a joint Twitch channel to showcase life beyond the pool and attract a new, digitally‑savvy audience to swimming. Their streams, which run three to five times a week,...
PUBG Mobile Fans Convinced VTuber Usada Pekora Is Getting a Skin After Mystery Reveal
PUBG Mobile Japan posted a mysterious silhouette on May 8, sparking fan speculation that the image represents Hololive VTuber Usada Pekora. The teaser featured a rabbit‑like outline, twin braids, and the chant “buzz buzz cha♪,” all hallmarks of Pekora’s persona. Earlier in...
Target Launches 2-Tier Creator Program: One For Superfans, One For Pros
Target unveiled a two‑tier creator initiative aimed at boosting social commerce. Club Target rewards everyday creators and superfans with weekly challenges and gift‑card incentives, while Target Ambassadors, built on the LTK platform, courts professional creators with higher commissions and deeper...
Immortal Snail Meme Turned Into Desktop Game Where You only Get One Life
A meme about an immortal snail that would kill you for $10 million has been turned into a Windows desktop game called Don’t Touch The Snail. Developed by PlasticBagHandMan and published by Both Good, the game drops a snail onto the...
Why Brands Need to Treat Creators Like the True Entrepreneurs They Are
The article urges brands to treat influencers as independent entrepreneurs, granting them creative latitude rather than dictating scripts. Data shows creator‑led content delivers 70% higher click‑through rates and 159% more engagement, while 83% of consumers say they’d purchase a product...
Authorities Seize over $2M in Counterfeit Goods Tied to TikTok Livestream Sellers
UK police raided a warehouse where TikTok influencers livestreamed counterfeit branded goods, arresting six individuals. The operation, led by the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit, seized more than $2 million worth of fake clothing, trainers, and accessories, totaling...
Schlotzsky's Taps TikTok's 'King of Sandwiches' To Launch Sub Lineup
Schlotzsky’s Deli has teamed up with TikTok influencer Owen Han, known as the “King of Sandwiches,” to launch its new Stacked Subs menu. The lineup includes a Turkey Avocado BLT, Honey Mustard Club and Zesty Italian, offered on Artisan White or Harvest Wheat rolls. Han stars...
How the ‘Lumpia Queen’ Turned 1 Failed Recipe Into a Thriving Creator Business and a Collab With Gordon Ramsay
Abi Marquez’s accidental video of a marshmallow fried in a lumpia wrapper went viral, racking up one million views in two hours. She leaned into the feedback, turning the mishap into a series of lumpia‑wrapper recipes that earned her the...
Brands and Celebs Lost Millions of Followers Thanks to This Instagram Update—Including Instagram Itself
Instagram’s latest update removed millions of inactive accounts, causing a sharp drop in follower counts for major brands, celebrities and even the platform itself. Nike lost 4.27 million followers, while Cristiano Ronaldo, Kim Kardashian and Victoria’s Secret each shed between 5 and...
In-Game Purchases Are Helping Fortnite Creators Shift Focus From Virality to Retention
Epic Games introduced in‑game purchases for Fortnite creators on Jan 9, giving developers a direct revenue stream beyond the platform’s engagement‑payout model. Five months later creators report daily purchase rates ranging from 0.4% to 5%, allowing smaller maps to stay profitable...
Creator Agency NewGen Launches AI Platform to Help Brands Scale Creator Campaigns With Compliance Controls
London‑based creator agency NewGen has unveiled Multiple, an AI‑driven platform that consolidates every stage of influencer campaigns—from creator matching and outreach to contract generation, payment tracking and performance reporting. The system promises to cut campaign launch times by up to...
‘Stop Posting Pretty Things. Build a Business’ – Hannah Wilson on How to Scale as a Creator Enterprise
Hannah Wilson, a creator with over one million followers, leverages her experience at Insta360, livestream commerce, and CGTN to run her personal brand like a business. She stresses rapid skill acquisition, constant re‑branding, and treating brand deals as relationships rather...
OnlyFans Adds Community Pages for Sports, Comedy, and Podcast Creators
OnlyFans unveiled three new community pages—sports, comedy and podcasts—at the OMR Festival in Hamburg, expanding its discovery tools beyond adult entertainment. The platform highlighted more than 285 professional athletes, fast‑growing comedians and niche podcasters, offering dedicated placement to boost visibility....
Levanta Makes the Case That Creator Channels Belong Alongside Every Amazon Ad Budget
Levanta, the Seattle‑based affiliate and creator platform, announced the acquisition of Perch+, an early Amazon‑focused affiliate network. The deal brings hundreds of brands and publishers into Levanta’s marketplace, consolidating two of the longest‑standing players in the Amazon affiliate space. Levanta...
Amazon Brings Content-To-Commerce Technology Into Publisher Services
Amazon Publisher Services has added Shopsense, an AI‑driven content‑to‑commerce platform, to its Connections Marketplace. Shopsense analyzes images in articles, videos and photos, automatically generating product‑listing ads that link to more than 1,000 retailers. The integration requires no code and promises...
Tim Dillon Busts Into Top 20 on Podtrac’s April Podcast Ranker
Podtrac released its U.S. Top Podcasts chart for April 2026, ranking shows by unique monthly audience. The top five slots remain occupied by major news brands, with NPR’s “NPR News Now” at #1 and The Daily at #2. Comedian Tim...
Kliq Appoints Ebtihal Alosaimi as Co-Founder and COO, Strengthening Leadership Team
Kliq, the Saudi‑based influencer‑marketing platform, has appointed Ebtihal Alosaimi as Co‑Founder and Chief Operating Officer. Alosaimi brings 13 years of experience in e‑commerce, fintech, business development and strategic planning. The move is designed to bolster Kliq’s operational capacity as it...
Flexion Launches Exprexion to Help Expand Mobile Game Monetisation Beyond Apple and Google
Flexion has introduced Exprexion, an integrated suite that combines alternative app‑store distribution, creator‑led marketing, and direct‑to‑consumer sales tools for mobile game developers. The platform supports secondary stores such as Amazon, Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and ONEstore, aiming to reduce reliance on...
I Tested the 8 Best AI Image Generators for 2026
The article reviews eight top AI image generators for 2026—Canva, Adobe Firefly, Gemini, AKOOL, Recraft, 1min.AI, Freepik, and TESS AI—based on G2 ratings, prompt accuracy, image quality, and workflow fit. Each tool’s monthly pricing is listed, ranging from $3.99 to...
Twitch Has New Penalties for Streamers Caught Viewbotting, CEO Says
Twitch announced a new enforcement mechanism aimed at streamers caught viewbotting, capping their concurrent view count (CCV) for a set period. The cap will be calibrated using each creator’s historical non‑bot traffic and will lengthen with repeated offenses. CEO Dan Clancy...
Threads Adds New Posting Options and Animated Mini Stickers
Meta’s Threads introduced two new tools aimed at boosting user posting frequency. The platform now automatically splits any pasted text longer than 500 characters into a series of linked updates, eliminating the need for manual trimming. In parallel, Threads is...
The Summer of 1999: How Instacart & Linqia Unlocked Full-Funnel Results via Nostalgic Creator-Led Storytelling
Instacart teamed with performance‑marketing platform Linqia to launch a summer‑1999 nostalgic creator‑led campaign that blended retro storytelling with shoppable video. The initiative leveraged a network of micro‑influencers to produce authentic, era‑specific content that was distributed across TikTok, Instagram Reels, and...
Maxon Makes Autograph Team Licenses Free for Commercial Use
Maxon announced that its Autograph team licenses are now free for commercial use, removing seat‑count, time, and output restrictions. The change follows a recent free release for individual users and expands the tool’s reach to studios, agencies, educators, and brands...
What Publishers Can Learn From Penguin Random House’s $1 Million In-House Media Experiment
Penguin Random House invested $1 million in an in‑house media unit inside its Crown Publishing imprint, launching the food‑focused brand Taste. With just one full‑time employee, Taste’s newsletter and podcast are projected to exceed $1 million in revenue by 2027. The experiment...
PBS Teams With Indie Film Producer ITVS for Independent Lens Creator Lab, Inaugural Lineup Revealed (EXCLUSIVE)
PBS and independent film co‑producer ITVS have unveiled the inaugural Independent Lens Creator Lab, a six‑month accelerator that offers up to $36,000 in production funding per participant. The program will guide six creators as they produce up to 12 vertical‑format...
The Creator Economy Keeps Adding Tools – The Influencer Marketing Factory Keeps Finding the Same Gap
The Influencer Marketing Factory (IMF) has evolved from a $1,500 startup into a full‑service creator‑economy agency handling organic, paid amplification, and TikTok Shop for brands like Google and Hyundai. Over the past three years, about 90% of its clients now...
Matthew Hartley Launches Harmonic Wave, a New Platform for AI-Powered Media Experiences
Matthew Hartley, a Sarasota‑based creator and developer, launched Harmonic Wave, an AI‑powered platform that reimagines media delivery as structured, story‑driven journeys. Unlike traditional streaming, the service lets creators dictate the sequence of music, video, images, and text, while AI agents...
SocialChain Taps Havas Play UK Veteran Sophie Berman to Lead Influencer Division
SocialChain has appointed Sophie Berman, former Head of Talent and Influencer at Havas Play UK, to lead its CreatorChain influencer division. Berman will oversee strategy, talent partnerships, and scalable campaign tools while reporting to CEO Jacinta Faul. CreatorChain, which counts...
The Team, Formerly Wasserman, Acquires Golf Creator Agency Representing Grant Horvat, Bryan Bros
The Team, the rebranded former Wasserman, has acquired Provisions Golf, a boutique creator agency that represents pro golfer Grant Horvat and the Bryan Bros duo. The deal brings Horvat’s 1.7 million‑subscriber YouTube channel and the Bryan Bros’ 850,000 followers under The...
Digital Management Company Made By All Launches Hollywood Studio Venture With Tanya Cohen at the Helm
Los Angeles‑based digital management firm Made By All has launched Made By Us Studios, a premium content studio that merges Hollywood production with the creator economy. The studio appoints Tanya Cohen as Co‑CEO alongside founder Leanne Perice and President of...
Despite a Thriving Market, U.K. Report Finds Comics Creators Are Struggling
UK comics sales reached a record high in 2025, according to NielsenIQ BookScan, but a new U.K. Comics Creators Research Report reveals creators are facing mounting financial and health pressures. The survey of 689 creators shows 89% of those earning...