Welcome to Created, the newsletter that’s like opening presents on Christmas morning. Here’s what we got today:
- Airrack wants Punk’d on YouTube
- YouTube shuts down fake AI trailers after 1B views
- Outlier of the week
Airrack Attempts to Buy Punk'd from Ashton Kutcher
In our recent video, Airrack revealed he’s actively trying to buy Punk’d, the iconic MTV prank show, and re-launch it on his YouTube channel with 18 million subscribers.
“We could run with the Punk’d show on YouTube,” he said. “I am the guy to run the Punk’d enterprise.”
But it’s not just Airrack. Here’s why this could be a trend as we head into 2026.
Why He Wants It
Once Airrack got serious about YouTube, he went deep into MTV’s back catalog.
“There’s so much cool inspiration that you can pull from those guys.”
He already runs his own prank format, Get Got!, and sees Punk’d as a natural fit. His pursuit of the IP is ongoing and he’s even had discussions with former Punk’d host Ashton Kutcher.
“[Ashton] said he no longer controls the rights, unfortunately,” Airrack said.
“So if you’re out there and you own the rights to Punk’d, let a boy know you have a very interested buyer over here.”
The Bigger Trend
Creators aren’t just borrowing from Hollywood formats anymore. They’re rebuilding them for YouTube.
- The Sidemen reimagined MTV’s Next as a modern YouTube dating franchise.
- MrBeast had people survive on islands for a single video. Now he's collaborating directly with Survivor in a crossover Beast Games episode with Jeff Probst.
- French creator Zack Nani was awarded exclusive broadcast rights to the French National U21 football team.
The last one is a huge deal. For two years, Zack’s YouTube channel will air the football games exclusively after rights were previously with traditional broadcasters.
That’s like the NBA choosing to have a YouTuber broadcast their games instead of NBC.
Creators aren’t just inspired by legacy formats anymore. They believe they’re the best people to run them. And increasingly, the industry seems to agree.
YouTube Takes Stance Against AI Trailers: Will It Impact Creators Next?
YouTube shut down two of the biggest AI-generated fake movie trailer channels on the platform.
Screen Culture and KH Studio are gone, after raking in over 2M subscribers and over 1 billion views with them.
With so much more AI content out there, will creators soon find themselves affected too?
What Happened
The two deleted channels pumped out AI-heavy “trailers” for movies and shows that didn’t exist yet.
They spliced official footage with AI-generated scenes, often ranking above real studio trailers in search on YouTube.
Earlier this year, YouTube demonetized them.
The channels briefly added labels like “fan trailer” and “concept.” Then they quietly removed the disclaimers.
That’s when YouTube double downed and removed their channels entirely, citing violations of misleading metadata policies.
Our Take
YouTube has long said AI itself isn’t the problem. Deception is.
In our interview, Neal Mohan was clear:
“Every piece of content on YouTube, whether it’s produced with a camera, with AI tools, or with some combination, is also of course subject to our community guidelines around deceptive practices.”
This isn’t YouTube cracking down on AI. It’s YouTube protecting trust.
Creators can use AI to create faster, cheaper, and smarter.
But once AI starts impersonating franchises, misleading audiences, or hijacking search…that’s when the platform will step in.
Earlier in the year, YouTube announced it’s testing a new deepfake detection tool too. Expect more policies and protection around AI to come in 2026.
🎯 Weekly Roundup: Thumbnails
Why we love these YT thumbnails:
- “Basic” vs “gourmet” turns hot dogs into an instant comparison you want to judge (Andy Cooks)
- A walnut hiding a camera is so unexpected it stops your brain mid-scroll (Penguin DIY)
- The balance scale visually makes the argument before you read the title (Veritasium)
- Conspiracy-board chaos + excited face promises insider knowledge (Linus Tech Tips)
🚀 Weekly Outlier
This video by Brooke Cormier has 237K views, which is 4.7 times higher than the channel’s average. Here’s why it took off:
- Clear Challenge Arc: A simple 30-day goal gives structure while momentum builds through small, real moments.
- Honest Creative Struggle: Shows resistance, burnout, and doubt, making progress feel earned, not idealized.
- Intimate Process Immersion: Everyday spaces and routines pull viewers directly into her creative life.
🏆 The Created Referral Program
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Trust me, these books are packed with more tips than most paid courses.
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