Good morning. In an appearance on Kai Cenat’s Twitch stream on Sunday, actor and WWE superstar John Cena shared this: “Life to me is a gift…I try to live each day grateful for the luck, so when the sun goes down, I look at what I did for the day—even if it’s just relax—[and ask], ‘Did I earn the sunset?’”

Who knew a sponsored livestream, during which the duo promoted Cenat’s new McDonald’s chicken sandwich, would offer some of the most poignant life advice of the year?

— Hannah Doyle & Nate Graber-Lipperman

The Creator Takeaways from Adobe Max 2024

Adobe announced over 100 new features and tools at its annual MAX event in Miami this week. Here’s what creators need to know →

Generative everything. Adobe unveiled its first generative AI video tool, Firefly Video Model, within Premiere Pro. The tool allows creators to use text and image prompts to extend video clips, mask objects, and smooth transitions. Adobe said the AI is only trained on fully-licensed, legally-acquired content.

Another spot where generative AI is front and center in the Adobe Creative Cloud: Photoshop Quick Actions that add and remove objects from images—such as Generative Expand, Generative Fill, Generative Remove, Generate Similar, and Generate Background.

Compositing made easy. At Adobe Sneaks, where the company teased unreleased features, Adobe announced Project Perfect Blend, which can alter the lighting and color of an image to make it match its background and environment—a key tool for YouTube thumbnail designers.

Zoom out: Adobe’s continued emphasis on generative AI highlights tension within the creator industry—the tech improves efficiency, but there are questions about how it might affect proficiency and artistic quality in the long-term.

• “I need graphic design content creators to be very honest about how much Adobe is being run into the ground with AI,” graphic design creator Kel Lauren said on X. “We all need to be extremely critical of these programs we use, the shilling needs to stop.”

• “When you think about a world where your creative process is way easier, then what matters?” Samir Chaudry said on The Colin and Samir Show. “As a new creator [...] you should try and have a perspective on your creativity and what is defensible is your personality.”

Platform Roundup: The New Features Keep Coming

Adobe wasn’t the only tech company that announced new creator tools this week—YouTube and Instagram joined the fray, while TikTok’s features made headlines for the wrong reasons →

• YouTube introduced new playlist customization tools that let creators personalize playlist thumbnails—or generate alternates using AI. Additionally, creators can use a ranking feature (coming out later this year) to let viewers curate their playlist lineup by voting for their favorite videos.

• Instagram rolled out a “digital business card” for creators that can be shared to other platforms or with peers IRL. Billed as a “resume of sorts” for Gen Z, the two-sided card features info pulled from a creator’s bio (such as profile pictures and links) on one side and a QR code linking to the creator’s profile on the other.

• TikTok’s “addictive” features led more than a dozen states to sue the company last week, accusing TikTok of prioritizing profit and growth over child safety. An NPR review revealed that TikTok executives traded internal messages acknowledging that the platform was addicting young people—but still deceived the public about TikTok’s risks by touting time management tools that led to only a minimal reduction in users' screen time.

Celebrity Author James Patterson Joins Substack

Bestselling author James Patterson has launched a Substack. Patterson said he’ll write opinion pieces, share a behind-the-scenes look at his writing process, and publish video interviews with guests including Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton.

“Like most writers—even in my situation—you’re always at the beck and call of editors…with Substack, we’re totally free, we get to do whatever the hell we want to do,” Patterson told The Hollywood Reporter.

Zoom out: In recent years, creators like Kyla Scanlon, Ali Abdaal, and Baron Ryan have released books as extensions of the brands they’ve cultivated online.

Patterson is one of the first celebrity authors to take the reverse route: channeling his A-list publishing world status into building a creator-led publication where he calls the shots.

🔥 Press Worthy

• Cole Bennett, the creator of Lyrical Lemonade, is making a documentary on rapper Chief Keef. 

• Feel confident your audience sees what you see with Datacolor Spyder, the color calibration tool that ensures your edits display true-to-life color.*

• Kajabi releases an invoicing tool and newsletter feature. 

• Jacksepticeye partners with two mental health charities for his 2024 “Thankmas” event.

• Education creator Paul Barbato concludes his 10-year YouTube series, Geography Now.

_{*This is sponsored advertising content.}