SAG is coming for influencers

Adobe gives creators a way to say "hands off my work" to AI

FFinally, a simple way to tag your work against AI training! Adobe just launched a free Content Authenticity web app that lets you embed invisible metadata into your images, including that crucial "don't train AI" tag.

Why you should care:

• Works with your regular JPEGs and PNGs, no Photoshop needed

• Your tags survive screenshots and reposts (seriously)

• You can tag up to 50 images at once when you're batch creating

While Adobe pushes for better industry rules, this gives you an immediate way to protect your creative work from being scraped for AI training. For creators worried about their style being cloned by AI, this is worth the few seconds it takes.

Get it: Free (at least for now) at contentauthenticity.org

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Snapchat's mixed signals: Creator wins vs Wall Street worries

So Snap dropped their Q1 numbers this week, and it's a tale of two platforms. Creator metrics? Looking good. Wall Street's reaction? Not so much (shares tanked 15%) after Snap mentioned "headwinds" and wouldn't give next-quarter guidance.

For you as a creator:

• Snapchat+ subscribers are paying up (revenue up 75% to $152M)

• Spotlight now has 500M monthly viewers eyeing creator content

• Creator posts in North America jumped 125% year-over-year

• The audience is there: 460M daily users, 900M monthly

The red flag? They lost 1M daily users in North America. If you're building on Snap, that's worth watching.

Bottom line for your strategy: Spotlight's momentum is real for newer creators getting discovered, and Snap's making the platform easier to navigate. But compared to the relative stability of YouTube or the massive reach of TikTok and Reels, consider Snap as your supplementary platform rather than your primary one.

SAG-AFTRA just got serious about influencers

Hollywood's big actors' union is making its boldest move yet into creator territory.

SAG-AFTRA has launched a new Influencer and Digital Creator Committee aimed at supporting creators beyond just brand deals. Lifestyle influencer Patrick Janelle is chairing the committee, which wants to bring some actual structure and protection to an industry that's pretty much been the wild west.

What this means for you:

• The union's 2021 influencer agreement only covered branded content. Your YouTube or TikTok originals? Not included.

• Now they're thinking bigger: support for all types of creator work, not just the sponsored stuff.

• This builds on creators standing with actors during last year's strike. The line between Hollywood and digital talent? Getting blurrier.

Janelle says they'll focus on career stability, tools, and industry standards. Most interesting? They want to help emerging creators who don't have agents, lawyers, or networks in their corner yet.

His words: "With the weight of this organization, we can make significant contributions toward ensuring creators are able to build more stable, safe, and sustainable careers."

Thousands of creators have already worked under SAG-AFTRA's influencer rules. The next phase? The union wants to help shape the platform-native future, not just play catch-up.

This new fund wants to finance your AI-assisted projects (without taking your IP)

While traditional studios are slashing development budgets, here's a bright spot: a new fund specifically for creators making AI-assisted videos. And you keep ownership of what you make.

DreamFlare and The Unreasnble are putting over $100K into original series and films by both traditional filmmakers and AI-native creators like you.

What's in it for you:

• Your work premieres on DreamFlare's platform

• You keep your IP (yes, really)

• You make money through views, ads, and fan tips

• Industry backing from Disney VFX alum Jeff Gipson and Rotimi

The first creator projects launch this spring. If you've been experimenting with AI tools like Runway or Pika, this could be your funding opportunity.

As Unreasnble's CEO Mickey Meyer put it: "No one is paying for development anymore. We're here to help creators own their IP from day one."

Creator quick hits

• X is finally bringing 4K video uploads to select creators (premium subscribers, you're next)

• Meta launched a standalone AI assistant app in the US and Canada, another tool to potentially integrate into your creative workflow

• Temu alert: They're adding huge "import charges" because of the new 145% China tariffs. That $19 dress now costs $44+ after fees (affects your product recommendations)

• OpenAI gave ChatGPT shopping features, users can now browse, read reviews, and buy products. No ads or affiliate links yet, but keep an eye on this potential new distribution channel

What we’re reading

Business Insider – The one brand that rules Coachella

Vogue Business – Unpacking the creator economy battleground

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