TOGETHER WITH

It's Monday and Mattel is joining forces with OpenAI. Could “ChatGPT Barbie” be the next toy at the top of kids’ Christmas lists?

Today’s News

THE BIZ

Disney and NBCUniversal are taking on Midjourney

The context: When AI image generators like DALL-E and Midjourney entered the wider public consciousness in 2021/2022, creators across multiple industries voiced concerns that millions of artists’ works had been scraped without permission.

But since most independent makers don’t have the cash to challenge AI firms in court, it seemed like nothing could be done to compensate creators or stop similar scrapes from happening again—unless a company with deep pockets and zero tolerance for copyright infringement stepped in.

The lawsuit: Now, that hypothetical is becoming a reality. Last week, Disney and NBCUniversal filed a joint suit against Midjourney that accuses the AI firm of having a “bootlegging business model” that is in “defiance of U.S. copyright law.” Among the images cited in that suit are generated shots of various Star Wars characters, Elsa from Frozen, Shrek, Minions, and a semi-spicy shirtless shot of Wolverine with Deadpool.

The two plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation for damages (amount undisclosed), as well as “preliminary and/or permanent injunctive relief enjoining and restraining Midjourney” from using Disney/NBCU material in its datasets or generating images related to their IPs.

Disney and NBCU are the first major Hollywood stakeholders to file suit against AI companies—meaning if they win their case, it will set a new, protective precedent for studios (and potentially for the little guys, too).

So far, Midjourney has declined to comment. Keep an eye on our website here for updates.

🔆 PRESENTED BY CREATORS HQ 🔆

More and more creators are moving to Dubai. Here’s why:

From Yes Theory to Liam Dipple, some of the world’s biggest creators are moving to Dubai. We already know cutting-edge infrastructure, creator-friendly policies, tax-free income, and the 1 Billion Followers Summit can be a big draw for creators.

But another resource has already attracted the attention of over 100 digital stars and industry leaders: Creators HQ.

With $40.8 million in backing and partnerships with Meta, X, and New Media Academy, Creators HQ is a creator community that offers Golden Visa assistance, relocation resources, exclusive studio spaces, expert-led workshops, and more. 

Dozens of creators—including Dhar Mann, Yes Theory, Anazala Family, JianHao Tan, and Dose of Society—have already come aboard as founding members. What could you do with the same resources as YouTube’s top stars?

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• Want to have Google Search results read aloud to you by two fake podcasters? Good news: that’s the idea behind the tech giant’s latest test feature. (Ars Technica)
  
  

• Among other new Instagram features, a music tool will let users share Spotify tracks through their Notes displays. (Social Media Today)
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• For the first time in 12 years, Netflix is rolling out a new homepage interface. (The Hollywood Reporter)
  
  

• Spotify’s latest feature will let Premium users download playlists to additional devices, including iPads and Apple Watches. (Engadget)

HELLO, HOLLYWOOD

A24 wants Kane Parsons’ Backrooms film to be the next creator-led hit

The film: Between his creative style and resourceful approach, Kane Parsons (aka Kane Pixels) has become one of the foremost tellers of spooky stories on the internet. The earliest video in the creator’s found footage horror series, The Backrooms, has collected over 66 million views on YouTube—and now, he’s set to become one of the youngest directors in Hollywood history.

19-year-old Parsons is going full speed ahead on a feature film adaptation of The Backrooms. A24—which picked up the project in 2023—has attached some big names to Parsons’ horror flick, including Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve, who played the lead role in the international hit The Worst Person in the World.

The context: As influencers make inroads in Hollywood, the horror genre is becoming one of the most popular genres for creator directors. First there was David E. Sandberg’s Lights Out, which moved from YouTube to the big screen. The film turned Sandberg into an in-demand director, and he’s since helmed blockbusters like Shazam. Seven years later, the Australian twins behind the RackaRacka channel frightened filmgoers with Talk To Me, which ended up as one of the top movies of 2023.

Other horror impresarios coming from the internet include Curry Barker—who enjoyed a sleeper hit with his low-budget production Milk & Serial—and Chris Stuckmann, the film critic-turned-director who is working with acclaimed distributor Neon on his upcoming film Shelby Oaks.

So, what exactly makes the creator-to-horror director pipeline so potent? For one, the genre is well-suited to low-budget thrills. Like many other spooky hits, The Backrooms is filmed in a found footage style that gives audiences the jitters without breaking the bank. That makes it a safer bet for studios and distributors looking to take a chance on a budding director.

GOING GREEN

TikTok is helping advertisers measure emissions

The partnership: TikTok wants to help brands confront climate change (and cozy up to Gen Z in the process). The app is joining forces with Scope3—a media sustainability firm that has worked with tech companies like Google and Meta—to provide emissions data for on-platform campaigns. According to a TikTok blog post, that partnership will help advertisers pursue in-house goals related to climate change and emissions:

The context: Carbon neutrality has become a top priority for many social platforms in recent years, with YouTube publishing content that discusses the climate crisis and Snap pledging to become carbon negative by 2030.

Those kinds of climate-conscious initiatives aren’t just good for the planet—they also help brands appeal to younger generations. Gen Z has repeatedly identified climate change among the issues it cares about most, and Gen Alpha has already expressed a preference for brands that prioritize environmental conservation.

Companies advertise on TikTok to reach those cohorts, so the Scope3 partnership provides crucial context consumers want to know. Whether brands choose to share that data publicly (or update their practices to become more efficient) is up to them.

Either way, there’s still a lot of work to be done to address the climate impact of ad campaigns. Research from the World Economic Forum has shown that digital marketing creates more emissions than the aviation industry, with factors like server usage, electricity requirements, and single-use data all contributing to the problem.

LISTEN UP 🎙️

This week on the podcast…

YouTube’s impact: On the latest episode of Creator Upload, host Josh Cohen teamed up with Strand Partner and Head of Digital Monica Khan to tackle the increasing presence of creators at major industry events—including VivaTech and Cannes Lions—and YouTube's $55 billion contribution to the U.S. GDP in 2024.

Also on the discussion list: Lowes’ collaboration with MrBeast, Starbucks' hunt for globe-trotting creators, and Ulta Beauty's employee ambassador initiative.

Tune into the full episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to find out more.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Drew Baldwin, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen.