AI Has Officially Taken Over (on YouTube)

Today: Lauren and Josh break down the latest news from Google I/O and what it means for your content. We dive into the history of ContentID, how YouTube is handling deepfakes with its new likeness detection tool, and X's AI-powered push to match creators with brands. Plus, we discuss Tom Brady's move to YouTube and Duolingo's crazy new focus module.00:00 Welcome to Creator Upload01:59 Viacom's massive 2007 YouTube lawsuit03:11 The birth of Content ID06:23 Gemini Omni comes to YouTube Shorts07:33 YouTube's new AI likeness detection13:28 X enters the creator marketplace era14:28 How Creator Connect uses AI16:23 Meta's Threads catching up to X19:27 Duolingo locks you out of apps22:18 Tom Brady's new YouTube trivia show23:54 Why athletes thrive on YouTubeCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

In this episode, Josh gives us an inside look from the David Geffen Theater at Lincoln Center after attending YouTube Brandcast. We discuss how YouTube is packaging creator-led shows for legacy advertisers , new shopping features on connected TVs , and the fighting spirit of YouTube executives taking aim at other platforms.What you'll learn:-- Household name advertisers grew their creator sponsorships by 189% in 2025.-- YouTube is packaging upfront shows for creators like Alex Cooper and Dude Perfect.-- A new ad product allows viewers to buy items in two clicks via Google Pay on connected TVs.-- LTK announced a new creator program for social commerce with Target.00:00 Welcome to Creator Upload00:42 Gospel Stats in the Wall Street Journal04:13 YouTube BrandCast at Lincoln Center07:53 Packaging creator shows for legacy advertisers11:24 New creator shows coming to YouTube15:44 YouTube executives adopt a fighting attitude17:54 Why you can't optimize into desire19:28 Two-click shopping on connected TVs21:01 Target and LTK social commerce partnership22:28 Mental health benefits of leaving Instagram22:45 TikTok Go travel booking programCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

Does Meta's new age verification work? Is Instagram really banning meme accounts?Lauren is joined by ICYMI's Lia Haberman to discuss her takeaways from the Scalable Summit, Meta's new AI teen surveillance, and the truth about the meme account crackdown.Plus, Josh sits down with Sophia Kianni, founder of Climate Cardinals and Phia, to talk about leveraging AI, scaling businesses as a Gen Z founder, and her podcast, The Burnouts.What you’ll learn:-- Inside TikTok's 100M view micro-drama collaboration with Issa Rae. -- What Instagram's "unoriginal content" update actually means for creators.-- How Sophia Kianni raised $40M and built her AI tech stack.-- The top creator economy conferences to attend this year.00:00 Intro & Meet Lia Haberman01:31 Scalable Summit Takeaways03:52 TikTok's 100M View Micro-Drama07:45 The Korean Vegan's Productivity09:53 Meta's Teen Age Verification16:22 Instagram's Meme Account Crackdown19:31 Interview with Sophia Kianni24:04 The Power of AI for Founders26:16 Why Sophia Started "The Burnouts"28:07 A Young Founder's Tech Stack35:54 The Best Creator Conferences41:09 Google Photos' Clueless Closet Update44:15 YouTube's AI Music Generator47:23 Outro & Where to Find LiaCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

Discover how YouTube giant Jesser is transforming his channel into a multi-million dollar holding company. In this episode, Lauren sits down with Zach Miller, President of JesserCo, to break down their strategic reorganization. They dive into diversifying revenue streams, hiring top executives from Adidas, and mitigating key man risk to build an exit-ready business.Also: Josh went to POSSIBLE and shares more about what he learned from YouTube and other creators' keynotes while there.What you’ll learn:-- The steps to transition from Bucketsquad to JesserCo-- How to scale an apparel brand to $10 million in revenue-- When a creator needs to hire a President for administrative tasks-- The strategy behind getting into 150 Dick's Sporting Goods stores 00:00 POSSIBLE Miami & Issa Rae07:34 Zach Miller Interview Starts07:52 Rebranding to JesserCo08:49 New Business Ventures Coming10:54 When to Hire a President13:39 Scaling Bucketsquad Apparel15:01 Solving Creator Key Man Risk20:52 YouTube Media Business Breakdown23:34 Hiring an Adidas Executive27:05 JesserCo's M&A Strategy30:01 YouTube's Market DominanceCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

Today: Markiplier is bypassing traditional Hollywood by building his own indie movie studio directly on YouTube. Plus YouTube's got a new deepfake detection tool for celebrities, Keke Palmer's moving to Twitch, Jesser's major exec move and Fixated's acquisition of Studio71.What you’ll learn:-- Why creators can't just sell individual VOD movies on YouTube without a studio setup.-- How YouTube's "Content ID for likeness" acts as fire insurance for public figures.-- The reasons A-list celebrities are taking control of their own live formats.-- Why major creator brands are reorganizing into holding companies.00:00 The Mario Movie Sequel Disappointment01:13 Markiplier Becomes an Indie Movie Studio04:58 YouTube's Anti-Deepfake Tool for Hollywood10:50 Keke Palmer Launches a Twitch Talk Show14:45 The Return of Live Broadcasting18:41 Jesser Re-orgs and Hires Adidas GM22:06 Fixated Acquires Studio71Creator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

Are B2B creators the future of the creator economy? We sit down with Alex Josephson, VP of Brandworks at LinkedIn, in the wake of its NewFronts presentation earlier this spring. He shares insights into the Top Voices 360 program and reveals that LinkedIn has tripled creator payouts over the last year.Also today: YouTube's Coachella station initiative, Justin Bieber's cred as a YouTuber, headlines today vs in 2013 (shout out AOL), and YouTube's new Shorts timer.00:00 Welcome to Creator Upload00:20 YouTube Coachella Station Initiative02:33 Justin Bieber's Coachella Performance07:05 Is Bieber a True YouTuber?10:37 Interview: LinkedIn's Alex Josephson11:10 CEOs as Content Creators14:28 The Rise of B2B Creators16:02 LinkedIn NewFronts and Top Voices22:06 Scaling Impact for Brands28:53 Tripling LinkedIn Creator Payouts30:12 Follower Count vs Real Influence33:46 Connected TV Ads on LinkedIn37:02 Hollywood on YouTube vs AOL44:22 YouTube Shorts Timer Update45:47 Wrap UpCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

OpenAI just bought a creator company (TBPN) for reportedly over $100M. What does this mean for the future of the creator economy?Guest co-host Avi Gandhi, founder of Creator Access Network (CAN), joins Josh to break down the biggest news of the week.Also: we dive into how NASA is streaming the Artemis II moon mission like a top-tier creator, and YouTube's aggressive push into living room TVs.Plus, Avi shares the story behind his Creator Access Network, which is designed to save creators money on their essential business tools.What you’ll learn:-- Why NASA is pulling 10 million concurrent viewers-- How YouTube is battling Meta and TikTok for "second screen" attention-- Why brands acquiring creators could be the next massive industry trend-- How the Creator Access Network helps creators save thousands on tech Creator Upload is your creator economy podcast, usually hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen. Thanks again to Avi for serving as special guest co-host today.00:00 Introduction and Avi Gandhi returns01:01 NASA’s massive Artemis II livestream05:01 YouTube dominates living room TV screens08:06 The battle for the second screen14:15 OpenAI acquires tech talk show TBPN19:10 The future of creator company acquisitions26:13 Launching Creator Access Network (CAN)30:47 Creator Access Network pricing and perks36:02 IShowSpeed stars in new anime series40:50 Final ThoughtsFollow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

In this episode, Lauren and Josh break down YouTube's unprecedented move at their NewFronts presentation, where executives directly called out competitors like TikTok and Meta by name.We also explore TikTok’s brilliant new in-app integration with Cameo. Plus, we dive into Instagram’s new premium subscription and discuss whether brands funding their own web series is the next major wave of the creator economy.What you’ll learn:-- Why YouTube is urging advertisers to shift their social media budgets for an 86% higher ROI.-- How US creators can now sell and fulfill Cameo videos without ever leaving the TikTok app.-- The hidden perks of Instagram Plus, including anonymous story viewing and extended 48-hour story lifespans.-- Why major brands like Adobe and Crocs are funding the renaissance of branded web series.00:00 Intro & Passover Recaps01:12 YouTube's NewFronts Announcements01:50 YouTube Calls Out TikTok Onstage03:14 Claiming an 86% Higher ROI03:38 Is YouTube "Social Media"?05:43 Shorts vs. TikTok Audience Overlap06:39 The "Bring, Build, Boost" Strategy08:28 The Rise and Fall of Cameo10:24 Cameo Integrates Directly Into TikTok11:46 TikTok’s New Integration Playbook14:21 Instagram Tests Premium Subscriptions16:01 Anonymous Stalking vs LinkedIn Premium17:41 The Branded Web Series Renaissance18:28 History of Brand-Funded Content21:39 Outro & Where to ListenCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

This week: we sit down with Tubi's Rich Bloom to break down their massive new partnership with TikTok. We dive into how they identify short-form talent like Kelon Campbell to create feature films, and how creators retain ownership of their IP.Plus, Josh gives us the inside scoop from the NewFronts in NYC. From LinkedIn's swanky party to YouTube's AI search announcements and the rise of shoppable TV.Finally, we discuss the monumental legal verdicts against Meta regarding algorithmic harm to youth and what it means for the future of social media.What you’ll learn:-- How Tubi and TikTok transition short-form stars to long-form content-- The inside details on IP ownership and revenue sharing for creators on Tubi-- The biggest trends from NewFronts, including shoppable TV and AI creator search-- What recent court rulings against Meta mean for the future of social algorithms00:00 Welcome to Creator Upload01:05 Rich Bloom on Tubi & TikTok02:40 Terri Joe's Tubi Success04:25 Picking Creators for Long-Form07:40 IP Ownership & TikTok's Strategy13:50 Tubi's Funding & Rev Share16:16 Hollywood Meets Creator Content22:07 NewFronts 2026 NYC Recap28:36 Shoppable TV & AI Integration34:18 Major Meta Lawsuit Verdicts40:20 Will Algorithms Change?43:28 Wrap Up & OutroCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand

In this episode of Creator Upload, Lauren and Josh break down the biggest trends straight out of SXSW 2026. We explore Phil Rosenthal moving his hit show from Netflix to YouTube, iHeartMedia's launch of TikTok Radio, and Google's new push into the micro-drama space.What you’ll learn:-- Inside Jon Youshaei’s creator "masterclass" approach-- Why creator communities are becoming the new "third space"-- How big Hollywood names are capitalizing on YouTube's growth00:00 Recap of Josh at SXSW 202603:02 Jon Youshaei’s SXSW Keynote06:01 The YouTube Influencer Opportunity07:06 Creators as the New Third Space10:00 SXSW Creator Events & Networking13:23 Somebody Feed Phil Moves to YouTube17:48 Will Netflix Add a Free Tier?18:43 TikTok Radio Launches with iHeart21:07 Google Enters the Micro-Drama Game23:01 Final ThoughtsCreator Upload is your creator economy podcast, hosted by Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen.Follow Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schnipper/Follow Josh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajcohen/Original music by London Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/londonbridgemusic/Edited and produced by Adam Conner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamonbrand