News/Creator Economy
AI beats human producer in J-pop song contest as fans choose machine-written single
Japanese girl band AKB48 has released an AI-generated single after fans chose it over a song written by renowned J-pop producer Yasushi Akimoto in a head-to-head competition. The AI victory highlights how machine learning tools trained on existing creative works can resonate with audiences, potentially reshaping how the music industry approaches songwriting and production. How the competition worked: The songwriting battle took place on Nippon TV's "Akimoto Yasushi vs AI Akimoto Yasushi: AKB48 New Song Production Contest," where an AI version of Google's Gemini was trained on Akimoto's lyrics library and interview statements. The AI's song "Omoide Scroll" ("Memory Scroll"),...
read Sep 9, 2025Reddit fixes AI bug that wrongly altered LGBT subreddit descriptions for weeks
Reddit has resolved a bug that incorrectly altered subreddit descriptions on its Android app, including changing a lesbian community's description to say it was for "straight" women. The issue, which persisted for weeks and sparked user concerns about unauthorized AI content modification, was caused by a malfunctioning translation service that mistakenly performed "English-to-English translations." What happened: Multiple subreddit descriptions were inaccurately changed when viewed through Reddit's Android app, with some alterations significantly misrepresenting community purposes. The r/actuallesbians subreddit's description was changed from "a place for cis and trans lesbians" to "a place for straight and transgender lesbians." The r/autisticparents community,...
read Sep 9, 2025How PacSun leverages influencers and turned 1 TikTok creator into $20M in denim sales
PacSun has launched its first Youth Advisory Council, featuring Gen Z and Gen Alpha influencers who will directly advise executives on product development, marketing campaigns, and business decisions. The move reflects CEO Brieane Olson's strategy to compete in the $114.6 billion denim market not through massive marketing spend, but by embedding customer voices into core business operations. The big picture: While competitors like American Eagle, Gap, and Levi's poured millions into celebrity-driven campaigns during 2025's "denim wars," PacSun is betting that real-time customer feedback and creator-driven insights will deliver better results than traditional marketing approaches. Who's on the council: The...
read Sep 5, 2025Medical misinformation via TikTok, Facebook costs US healthcare up to $300M daily, survey finds
Medical misinformation on social media platforms has evolved into a significant economic burden for American healthcare, with AI technology accelerating the spread of false health claims. A 2025 survey of over 1,000 U.S. physicians found that 61% reported patients being influenced by misinformation at least moderately in the past year, with 57% saying it significantly undermines their ability to deliver quality care. The big picture: False health information spreads 70% faster than accurate content on social platforms, according to MIT research, because people naturally share novel and emotional content over factual information. The World Health Organization has termed this phenomenon...
read Sep 1, 2025China mandates AI content labels across social platforms WeChat, Weibo and more
Major Chinese social media platforms including WeChat, Douyin, Weibo, and RedNote have begun implementing mandatory AI-generated content labels to comply with new legislation that took effect Monday. The law, drafted by four government agencies including China's main internet regulator, aims to help users identify AI-generated material across text, images, audio, video, and other content types amid concerns about misinformation and "AI slop." What you should know: The labeling requirements are now being enforced across China's largest social platforms, with each implementing slightly different approaches. WeChat requires users to proactively apply labels to their AI-generated content and prohibits removing, tampering with,...
read Sep 1, 2025Google Photos uses AI to find the best moments in your videos
Google Photos is introducing a new "Key Moments" feature that uses AI to automatically identify and highlight the most engaging sections of user videos. The tool addresses a common problem with video sharing—lengthy recordings filled with uninteresting content—by allowing users to quickly find and extract compelling clips with a single tap. How it works: Key Moments analyzes videos that are at least ten seconds long, using AI to detect joyful, nostalgic, or visually rich segments.• The feature displays interactive "chips" on the video timeline that users can tap to save highlighted moments as separate clips or remove unwanted markers.• Google's...
read Aug 22, 2025Meta partners with Midjourney to enhance AI image generation on Facebook, WhatsApp
Meta is partnering with Midjourney to license its "aesthetic technology" for use in Meta's AI models and products, the company's new chief AI officer Alexandr Wang announced on Friday. The collaboration involves technical cooperation between research teams and represents Meta's continued push to enhance AI-generated imagery across its platforms, from Facebook posts to WhatsApp chats. What you should know: The partnership goes beyond simply integrating Midjourney's existing tools into Meta's services. Wang described it as a "technical collaboration between our research teams," suggesting deeper integration of Midjourney's image generation capabilities into Meta's AI infrastructure. Neither company disclosed specific terms of...
read Aug 15, 2025WIRED investigation finds 100+ YouTube channels using AI for fake celebrity videos
WIRED's investigation has uncovered over 100 YouTube channels using AI to create fake celebrity talk show videos that are fooling viewers despite their obvious artificial nature. These "cheapfake" videos use basic AI voiceovers and still images to generate millions of views, exploiting psychological triggers and YouTube's algorithm to monetize outrage-driven content. What you should know: These AI-generated videos follow predictable patterns designed to trigger emotional responses rather than fool viewers with sophisticated technology. The videos typically feature beloved male celebrities like Mark Wahlberg, Clint Eastwood, or Denzel Washington defending themselves against hostile left-leaning talk show hosts. Despite using only still...
read Aug 13, 2025YouTube’s AI age detection now requires ID from misidentified adults
YouTube will begin using artificial intelligence to automatically detect users' ages on Wednesday, requiring adults incorrectly flagged as minors to provide government ID, credit card information, or biometric data to prove their age. The system aims to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content, but privacy advocates and users are raising concerns about data security and the burden placed on adults who may be misidentified by the AI. How it works: The AI analyzes user behavior patterns to determine whether someone is under 18, regardless of the birthdate they provided when signing up. The system examines signals like video search patterns,...
read Aug 12, 2025Study finds platform design, not algorithms, drives social media toxicity
A new study using AI chatbots to simulate social media interactions reveals that platform toxicity and political polarization aren't primarily caused by algorithmic manipulation—they're built into the fundamental structure of how social networks operate. The research suggests that efforts to reduce antagonistic behavior through algorithm tweaks alone are unlikely to succeed, requiring more radical reimagining of online communication platforms. What you should know: Researchers at the University of Amsterdam created a controlled experiment using 500 AI chatbots with diverse political beliefs interacting on a simple social network with no ads or algorithms. The bots, powered by GPT-4o mini (an AI...
read Aug 12, 2025Post at your peril: UK’s HMRC uses AI to monitor social media for tax fraud investigations
HMRC has confirmed it uses artificial intelligence to monitor social media posts as part of criminal investigations into suspected tax cheats, marking a significant expansion of automated surveillance in tax enforcement. The technology enables the tax authority to streamline investigations while raising important questions about privacy, accuracy, and the role of AI in government oversight. What you should know: HMRC, the UK's tax authority, emphasizes that AI monitoring is limited to criminal investigations and includes human oversight to prevent automated decision-making. The technology is only used as part of criminal investigations, not on everyday taxpayers, according to an HMRC spokesperson....
read Aug 11, 2025AI as force nudifier suggests parents should rethink sharing kids’ photos online
Parents are increasingly avoiding posting photos of their children on social media due to AI-powered "nudifier" apps that can generate fake nude images from any photograph. The shift comes as these deepfake tools have become widely accessible and cheap, with some offering free trials and costing as little as 8 cents per fake image. The big picture: AI nudifier apps have transformed the landscape of online child safety, making it possible for anyone to create convincing fake nude images with minimal technical skill or cost. These apps generate roughly $36 million annually in revenue and are being widely used in...
read Aug 11, 2025Reddit blocks Internet Archive to protect $200M AI licensing deals
Reddit has blocked the Internet Archive from indexing its content after discovering AI companies were circumventing Reddit's scraping restrictions by harvesting data from archived pages instead. The move effectively eliminates a key resource for researchers and users who relied on archived Reddit content to track deleted posts and preserve community discussions. What you should know: The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine can now only capture screenshots of Reddit's homepage, not individual threads, profiles, or comments. Previously, the Wayback Machine served as a comprehensive backup of Reddit content, documenting everything from deleted posts to user activity across various subreddits. Moving forward, the...
read Aug 8, 2025X plans to embed ads inside Grok’s AI answers, ending AI neutrality
Elon Musk's X platform has announced plans to embed advertisements directly inside Grok's AI-generated answers, marking what experts call the "death of AI Neutrality"—the principle that AI systems shouldn't covertly privilege commercial interests within core utility functions. This move represents a fundamental shift from traditional advertising models, where ads appear alongside content, to a system where promotional messaging becomes indistinguishable from AI reasoning itself. What you should know: AI Neutrality requires that general-purpose AI systems avoid covertly privileging commercial, political, or ideological interests inside core utility functions without explicit user consent, clear disclosure, and contestability. The principle includes separation of...
read Aug 7, 2025Truth Social launches AI search powered by Perplexity amid legal battles
Trump's Truth Social has launched Truth Search AI, a beta AI search engine powered by Perplexity, currently available on the web with mobile versions coming soon. The move represents the platform's effort to expand beyond social media into AI-powered search, despite Perplexity facing multiple legal challenges from major publishers for content scraping practices. What you should know: Trump Media & Technology Group says the AI search tool will "exponentially increase the amount of information available to its users." The feature is currently in beta testing for web users, with iOS and Android versions planned for release soon. Trump Media CEO...
read Aug 5, 2025AI-generated TikTok scams steal crypto from over 10K victims
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a sophisticated scam campaign where threat actors use AI-generated videos to impersonate TikTok Shop sellers, tricking users into depositing cryptocurrency and downloading malware. CTM360, a cybersecurity firm, identified over 10,000 phishing URLs and 5,000 malicious app download sites in what they describe as a "widespread, ongoing, malicious campaign" that exploits user trust in TikTok's brand recognition. What you should know: Scammers are creating fake TikTok Shop profiles complete with AI-generated content to appear legitimate while distributing malware called SparkKitty. The campaign uses replicas of TikTok Shop profiles with AI-generated videos to convince users they're interacting with...
read Aug 5, 2025Character.AI launches world’s first AI-native social feed
Character.AI has launched what it calls the world's first AI-native social feed, now live in its mobile app, where users scroll through content created entirely by AI-generated characters rather than humans. The platform transforms AI interactions from private conversations into shareable, remixable content that other users can engage with and build upon, positioning Character.AI as an entertainment-focused alternative to productivity-driven AI tools. What you should know: The feed replaces traditional social media posts from influencers and brands with AI-generated content that users can actively remix and expand.• Users can share chat snippets from character conversations, promote custom-built AI personas through...
read Jul 29, 2025Juggalos slam Insane Clown Posse for using AI over community artists when they can afford to do otherwise
Insane Clown Posse has sparked backlash from their devoted fanbase, known as juggalos, after releasing an AI-generated teaser video for their upcoming album "The Naught." The controversy highlights growing tensions within music communities as artists increasingly turn to artificial intelligence for content creation, potentially alienating fans who value authentic artistic expression and want to support human creators within their communities. What happened: Eagle-eyed juggalos identified telltale signs of AI generation in ICP's album teaser, including garbled text frames and an hourglass with sand falling through what appears to be AI-generated imagery. The video also features a grandfather clock filled with...
read Jul 23, 2025Google expands AI photo-to-video tools to Photos and YouTube Shorts
Google is expanding its AI-powered photo-to-video capabilities to Google Photos and YouTube Shorts, bringing the technology that debuted in its Gemini app to a broader audience. The rollout represents Google's push to democratize AI video generation tools, though these implementations come with more limitations than the original Gemini version. What you should know: The new features use Google's older Veo 2 video model rather than the more advanced Veo 3 that powers Gemini's photo-to-video tool. Google Photos users can create six-second video clips from still images, while YouTube Shorts allows variable clip lengths. Unlike Gemini, neither tool accepts custom prompts—users...
read Jul 23, 2025Man creates deepfake Instagram account with ex-girlfriend’s photos, gains 1.4M followers
A woman in India had her identity stolen and used to create a viral deepfake Instagram account called "Babydoll Archi" that gained 1.4 million followers through AI-generated erotic content. The case highlights how artificial intelligence tools are making it easier for bad actors to exploit women's images for revenge, while demonstrating the challenges of preventing and prosecuting such digital crimes. What happened: Pratim Bora, a mechanical engineer and self-taught AI enthusiast, created the fake Instagram profile using private photos of his ex-girlfriend Sanchi, a homemaker from Dibrugarh, Assam. Bora initially used morphed real photos when he created the account in...
read Jul 18, 2025Meta taps AI executive Connor Hayes to lead Threads come September
Meta is handing off Threads to Connor Hayes, a longtime AI executive, marking the first time someone outside Instagram will lead the text-based social app. The leadership change, effective September 2025, signals Meta's growing commitment to treating Threads as a standalone platform rather than just an Instagram sidekick. What you should know: Hayes brings deep AI expertise to a platform that's been experimenting with AI-generated content in users' feeds.• Hayes previously served as head of generative AI product at Meta and was part of the original team that built the first version of Threads.• He's been with Meta since 2011,...
read Jul 16, 2025Brilliant: AI chatbots reconstruct paywalled news content from social media fragments
Artificial intelligence chatbots are quietly reshaping how people access premium news content, creating a new dynamic that affects both readers and publishers. When users ask ChatGPT or similar AI tools to summarize articles from paywalled publications, they often receive surprisingly accurate responses—despite the AI never actually accessing the original content directly. This phenomenon isn't the result of sophisticated hacking or direct paywall circumvention. Instead, AI chatbots employ a more subtle approach: they reconstruct article summaries by piecing together fragments from social media posts, archived snippets, and online discussions. The result is often a coherent summary that captures the essence of...
read Jul 16, 2025Nextdoor’s biggest redesign adds 3 AI features for 100M users
Nextdoor has unveiled its biggest app redesign ever, introducing three AI-powered core features: real-time safety alerts, local news from trusted sources, and neighborhood recommendations. The overhaul aims to transform the platform from a neighborhood bulletin board into a comprehensive local information hub for its 100 million users. The big picture: Nextdoor is leveraging AI to create a more useful and engaging neighborhood app that goes beyond typical social media complaints to provide genuinely valuable local information. What you should know: The redesign centers on three main components that address different aspects of neighborhood life. Real-time safety alerts provide information on...
read Jul 15, 2025Meta cracks down on AI spam on Facebook with new monetization penalties for uninspired slop
Meta has announced new measures to combat AI-generated spam on Facebook, including removing monetization privileges and reducing content recommendations for accounts that repeatedly post unoriginal content. The policy targets the growing problem of AI programs creating thousands of variations of popular posts, which overwhelms platforms with synthetic material and hurts legitimate content creators. What you should know: Meta's updated policy requires content creators to add "meaningful enhancements" beyond simple watermarks or basic editing when sharing others' work to avoid penalties. Content creators can still share and comment on others' posts, but must contribute substantive value rather than simply reposting AI-generated...
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