Good morning. These days, Stephen A. Smith is becoming as well known for his debates of fan-submitted topics on his personal YouTube channel as he is for his ESPN hot takes.

This week’s (viral) discussions: Could the legendary Pokémon Mewtwo beat LeBron James in a basketball game? And what does Harry Potter’s track record of Quidditch injuries say about Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum’s legacy?

— Hannah Doyle & Nate Graber-Lipperman

Platforms Duke it Out for Streamers

In the last week, platforms including Kick and X have made bids to win over streamers left frustrated by Twitch’s string of missteps—from tightening rules around branded content and simulcasting to leaving South Korea.

The details:

• Kick teamed up with Ice Poseidon for a $20,000 IRL scavenger hunt to encourage new streaming sign-ups.

• Elon Musk encouraged streamers to try broadcasting on X, making a dig at Twitch’s nudity censorship issues in the process.

But streamers aren’t sold. Creators were quick to point out a few shortcomings of streaming newcomers—namely, a lack of features like livestream monetization and discovery.

That’s why major streamers are returning to Twitch, even if it isn’t perfect. Earlier this month, gaming streamer Sykkuno streamed on Twitch after creating exclusively on YouTube for the last two years.

"People actually know I’m alive [on Twitch]…Other YouTubers kind of knew we existed but we never raided each other. Never interacted with each other. But on Twitch, it's definitely a little better for streamers,” Sykkuno said in a recent stream.

Zoom out: The global game streaming market is estimated to be worth $7.6 billion and is expected to grow to $12 billion by 2029. And streaming creators have been widening their influence to other spheres, including politics and music. Translation? The platform that dominates streaming stands to gain considerable traction in a growing niche of the creator space.

AI News Roundup: From Misuse to New Investment

It’s a tale of two AI headlines this week: One platform is hitting the gas, while high-profile artists, creators, and companies allege misuse and copyright infringement by generative AI firms. Here’s what to know:

Snap announces its plans to spend over $1 billion a year on AI. After the success of its My AI chatbot, the company’s new investments will focus on strengthening its direct ads business (campaigns that drive immediate purchases or downloads) and making users’ feeds “more interesting,” Snap CEO Evan Spiegel told Bloomberg.

Sony Music sends warning letters to over 700 AI companies. The record label—which represents artists and creators including Lil Nas X and Doja Cat—called out “unauthorized use” of its content last week.

This includes training AI models with song lyrics, album cover art, and musical compositions without Sony’s permission.

Scarlett Johansson threatens legal action against OpenAI. On Monday, the actor revealed that she declined to become one of the voices of ChatGPT in 2023, per NPR.

• But Johansson claims that ChatGPT’s new voice assistant (called “Sky”) sounds eerily similar to her (and her AI-based character from the 2013 film Her). OpenAI removed the chatbot’s voice after Johansson threatened legal action.

• “In a time when we are all grappling with deepfakes and the protection of our own likeness…I look forward to resolution in the form of transparency and the passage of appropriate legislation,” Johansson said in a statement.

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Good Good Set to Host ‘Midwest Open’ Tournament

In the weeks leading up to its next live golf tournament, golf creator group Good Good has announced several celebrity participants—including Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves and tech creator Marques Brownlee.

The “Good Good Midwest Open” will be held in French Lick, Indiana, on June 18 and feature a $100,000 purse.

Big picture: Good Good appears to be beefing up its live event slate after the success of its Desert Open in February.

• That tournament—which featured a mix of 50 creators, pro golfers, and other celebrities—peaked at over 100,000 viewers watching live on Good Good’s YouTube channel.

• It was also available through NBC’s Peacock streaming platform, which will again share broadcast duties for the Midwest Open.

📽️ From the Studio

We’re bringing together creators in NYC for another meetup and speaker session on June 18.

Hear from finance creator Hannah Williams of Salary Transparent Street about her approach to content strategy and how she brought in over $1 million in 2023—in just her second year as a full-time creator.

See invite details and request to attend here.

➕ Community Tab

We recently asked if you think we’ve reached the peak of creator-led drink brands. 45% said yes, 40% said no, 15% were undecided. 

Here are some of our favorite responses:

“The market is much larger than people realize and we are only at the beginning of this trend. I believe more companies will do like Joyride candy and sign creators to boost their brand. It's similar to when Nike figured out by signing big names to signature shoes you could sell product fast and create hype.” —Clinton M.

“It's too early to be able to tell. Creators who focus on the long-term and making a good product will find success. Others will move onto their next grift.” —Andrew P.

“A lot of creator businesses tend to feel like capitalizing on trends in the moment, for instance in the 2016–2018 era when everyone was publishing books and going on tour. Beverages definitely seem like a fad, however that doesn't mean there won't be those who stick to it long-term and win out. ” —Manish S.

🔥 Press Worthy

• Hasan Piker speaks with Wired on media literacy and streaming political content on Twitch.

• TikTok is starting a $1 million “Change Makers” program.

• $10,000 giveaway by 1of10.com. If you’re an aspiring YouTuber, don't miss your chance. Only 48 hours left to apply here.*

• Marques Brownlee appears on Sneaker Shopping for the second time.

• Baron Ryan (aka @americanbaron) releases a book of short stories called a comedy of nobodies.

• Micheal Reeves, Emily the Engineer, and more education creators sign with Underscore Talent.

• Karo Crafts drops a new clothing collection.

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