It’s Thursday and a police department in Japan just made a VTuber their official Traffic Regulation Ambassador.

SLOP TALK

The shutdown: When OpenAI first revealed Sora in 2024, the AI-powered video generator wowed the internet by turning human prompts into hyper-realistic videos.

Two years later, things have changed.

AI skepticism is mounting, server costs are rising, and OpenAI is killing off both the app and browser-based versions of Sora. The Microsoft-backed company hasn’t yet provided an official reason for the shutdown. Much of the coverage surrounding the news, however, has characterized it as a belt-tightening decision that will free up OpenAI to focus on more successful AI services (like ChatGPT) as it reportedly pursues an IPO that would set its value as high as $1 trillion.

The slop factor: That financial motivation makes sense, but there could be an additional factor at work here.

It’s not entirely fair to blame Sora for the so-called Slopageddon that has infested major social media platforms, but the service was one of the more accessible tools for producing low-effort AI videos. When OpenAI launched a TikTok clone filled with Sora-generated videos, it immediately surged to the top of the App Store charts.

Now, viewers and platforms alike are turning on AI slop. Backlash against that form of content led YouTube to ban numerous AI slop hubs, and TikTok has given its users the power to adjust how many (if any) AI videos they see on the For You Page.

Film and TV studios have had enough as well, and their reticence regarding AI put significant limits on Sora’s market applications. OpenAI hoped to use its video generator to break into Hollywood; instead, Sora and other tools like it have faced heavy criticism from the entertainment industry.

At the end of the day, it seems like Sora simply generated more headaches than anything else.

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

RALLYING CRIES

The rallying call: On March 28, millions of anti-Trump protesters across the United States will gather for a third wave of No Kings demonstrations supported by a coalition of orgs like 50501, Indivisible, and the ACLU.

This time around, the coalition has an ace up its sleeve: creators. The No Kings Coalition and 50501 recently appealed to online viewers through a Twitch event that kicked off on March 20. As participating streamers played games like Overwatch, they discussed the upcoming No Kings wave and urged fans to join their local protests.

In the days following that event, the No Kings organizers have distributed materials to assist creators who join rallies on the 28th. A media kit filled with assets, logistical information, and premade social media posts ensures that social media-savvy protestors will have a head start on any subsequent uploads.

The context: In 2024, right-wing politicians effectively leveraged new media formats like vlogs and podcasts to win a larger chunk of the youth vote. As a result, conservative candidates claimed sweeping victories at the polls.

Two years later, Democrats are eager to flip the script by applying the right’s digital media strategies to the anti-Trump contingent. Former Biden White House staffer Christian Tom has launched AND Media to support left-wing creators, and politicians like Zohran Mamdani have turned social media posts into effective campaign materials. With that groundwork laid, the No Kings organizers are looking to press their advantage.

FESTIVAL CIRCUIT

The background: The Tribeca X Awards return this year to recognize excellence in branded entertainment.

Launched in 2016 as part of NYC’s iconic film-focused Tribeca Festival, Tribeca X was originally a single-day slate of programming for the creative advertising industry, capped by an awards show honoring storytelling-driven marketing. Then, in 2024, Tribeca X doubled to two days—and last year, it scaled to offer year-round programming, with activations at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Emmys, The London Book Fair, and more.

The awards: Now, the Tribeca X Awards are seeking submissions that showcase excellence in branded storytelling, including content creator and episodic series categories recognizing work across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and more.

The 2026 awards are open to “all work [that] premiered after January 1, 2025, created with support of a brand in collaboration with artists, creators or filmmakers.” Awards will be given out in six categories:

For the content creator/influencer category, short-form posts, livestreams, and long-term collaborations are all eligible, and content can consist of a single post or multiple connected pieces, so long as everything was posted after Jan. 1, 2025.

This year’s judges include writer/actor Lena Waithe, Vans Global CMO Daniel Cherry III, and 72andSunny NY Chief Creative Officer Juliana Cobb. Winners will receive official Tribeca Festival laurels and jury recognition at the Tribeca X live event during Tribeca Festival, which runs June 3-14.

Submissions for the 2026 Tribeca X Awards are open here through April 8.

FYI: Tribeca Festival is a Tubefilter partner

WATCH THIS 👀

The adaptation: 25 years after the theater debut of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, HBO Max is bringing the book back to life. The streaming service dropped a teaser for the upcoming series yesterday, introducing fans to the young actors who take on the roles of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Draco Malfoy. On YouTube, the video quickly accumulated 4 million views.

It remains to be seen whether the show will appeal to kids in the same way the original books and films did—but we’re guessing Millennials will be chief among the viewers tuning in come December 25.

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