Welcome to Created, the newsletter that’s the opposite of AI slop. Here’s what we got today:
- Instagram’s new gold ring for creators
- How AI is coming for the creator economy
- Outlier of the week
Inside Instagram’s New Creator Award
Instagram just announced Rings, a new creator award that isn’t based on views, likes, or follower counts — but creativity itself.
The program will celebrate 25 creators who “shift culture,” judged by a stacked panel including MKBHD, Spike Lee, and IG CEO Adam Mosseri himself.
Winners get two prizes:
- A real gold ring, designed by fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner
- A digital gold ring that glows gold around their profile photo throughout Instagram
In The Spirit Of Creation
Instagram says Rings “isn’t about honoring a specific type of content — it honors a spirit.”
And while cynics might roll their eyes, opening a profile with that gold ring will soon send a message no algorithm can replicate.
Because in a space where standing out gets harder every day, that ring signals to fans, peers, and brands that your work rises above the noise.
Why It Matters
Instagram isn’t just handing out rings — they’re building a moment.
On YouTube, creators unbox their Play Buttons like it’s an Oscar. Fans cheer. Brands take note. Now, Instagram wants that same kind of magic — a symbol creators can flex, film, and feel proud of.
The Big Difference...
When I worked at YouTube in 2012, we launched the very first Play Button awards — back when only 40 creators had hit 1M subscribers.
But here’s the truth: subscribers were never a great measure of success.
But by the time we realized it, it was too late. Creators got hooked on chasing numbers instead of ideas.
That’s why what Instagram is doing here is actually interesting.
It’s not rewarding outputs (views, followers, revenue) — it’s rewarding inputs: creativity, courage, originality.
And having seen firsthand how powerful a physical award can be for creators, I can tell you: recognition like this matters.
AI Roundup: Sora, Meta & More
In the past two weeks two major AI launches (Meta’s Vibes and OpenAI’s Sora) made one thing clear: the creator economy’s newest competitor isn’t human. It’s AI.
Both tools let anyone generate hyper-realistic, short-form videos for TikTok-style feeds.
No cameras. No crews. No humans. And that’s got creators real worried.
AI Is Everywhere
We’re long past the “AI slop” era — those uncanny clips of dogs driving cars or a glitching Will Smith eating spaghetti.
Vibes and Sora are generating content that actually feels real: cats in the sauna, xQc on your Ring camera, or Jake Paul doing gymnastics in the Olympics.
Brands are experimenting too. Kalshi ran an AI ad during the NBA Finals. Popeyes dropped an AI-generated music video.
And Hollywood startup Xicoia created Tilly Norwood — an AI actress now signed to real talent agents.
Creators Push Back
But not everyone’s cheering.
As marketing exec Lauren Douglass told Digiday:
“These AI creators create unfair competition for real human creators and make it easier for brands to choose a safer alternative.”
Translation: lower costs, no PR scandals, and no sick days.
Even MrBeast weighed in:
“When AI videos are just as good as normal videos, what will that do to YouTube… scary times.”
Our Take
OpenAI and Meta doesn’t expect Sora or Vibes to become standalone hits — they’re testing the waters to see if people will actually watch fully AI-generated content.
And judging by how fast these clips are flooding Reels, X, and TikTok, the answer seems to be yes.
That’s why the next few years will likely divide the industry:
- Cheap reach: AI-generated influencers flooding feeds
- Trusted connection: real creators building real communities
AI can replicate attention but it can’t replicate authenticity. And in the creator economy, that’s still the most valuable skill you can’t automate.
🎯 Weekly Roundup: Thumbnails
Why we love these YT thumbnails:
- Circular light used as a clock instantly makes a familiar object feel new (Make With Miles)
- Hanging from a Red Bull plane mid-air instantly captures adrenaline and madness (Red Bull)
- $25,000 + tiny house makes in a remote village makes you instantly curious (Yes Theory)
- Is that a tool to cut bananas? That absurdity makes you click (Matt D’Avella)
🚀 Weekly Outlier
This video by henrydidit has 483K views, which is 55.6 times higher than the channel’s average. Here’s why it took off:
- Personal Vulnerability: Turns a simple habit into a story about anxiety, creativity, and finding meaning offline.
- Tactile Aesthetic: The analog focus — notebooks, pens, stamps — creates sensory calm in a digital world.
- Emotional Storytelling: Each notebook serves a distinct emotional purpose, turning productivity advice into a deeply human journey.
🏆 The Created Referral Program
Know someone who’d also love this newsletter? Refer them and get gifts.
Refer 1 friend: you’ll get my Infinite Ideas book. It’s my 8 best tips to find viral ideas for your next upload.
Refer 5 friends: you’ll get my Top 50 Thumbnails book. It includes a detailed breakdown of why they work so you improve your packaging.
Trust me, these books are packed with more tips than most paid courses.
Copy this unique link and email, text, or post it: [RH_REFLINK GOES HERE]
👋 See You Inside
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Nothing great is created alone.
– Jon
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