Instagram on Pace to Release 400 New Features Annually!

This Week: It’s the first week of the holiday season and here’s what you need to know.  Read to the end to find out which GOT character Sam Altman resembles (according to ChatGPT).

Instagram’s Perpetual Cavalcade of Features:  Pity the poor analysts who cover Instagram.  The platform continues to deliver a cavalcade of new micro-features - 47 over the last 45 days (counted via mentions in Geekout and ICMYI). With so many noodly appendages popping up, it’s hard to pin down exactly what Instagram really IS.  Creators and users must be getting exhausted too, as the service constantly evolves.   According to expert Brendan Gahan , “In an effort to get marginal increases in market share and increase stickiness they trend toward becoming everything to everyone.”  Perhaps it’s the first Pastafarian social platform? 

A Way Forward for Tumblr?  Maybe it’s because I was hanging out with a friend and former Tumblr power user last week, but perhaps there’s a future for the quirky micro-blogging platform after all.  The Verge weighs in with thoughts on why the new “maintenance phase” might just be the best thing.  And another wistful user posted his own plan to rescue Tumblr, including developing a comprehensive mobile app.   It’s heartening to see so much love for this under-appreciated platform.  Perhaps Matt Mullenweg will turn into the anti-Musk and truly forge a sustainable path.  Hope so.

Yes, You Can Go Home Again: At least that’s what Sam Altman hopes as 5 days later he’s back running OpenAI.  But just as Thomas Wolfe opined, it will never be the same.  Here’s what creator economy execs and creators need to know:

• OpenAI is no longer top dog.  Developers will now incorporate other foundational AI into their systems – and creators should become more familiar with Google’s Bard, Anthropic, Meta’s Llama, Inflection, and other GenAI models too.
• More competition on the model front likely means more innovation for creator-centric tools too, including AI cloned creators, packaging and marketing utilities, video generation, character development and more.
• But there will be more uncertainty as the promise of “safe AI” recedes.  Today’s tools won’t remake – or destroy – the world, but renewed innovation will lead us to new, exciting and perhaps dangerous spaces. The lack of a true market leader will also lead to knee-jerk overreactions as fat cat lobbyists influence non-tech savvy rulers globally.  Creators need to ensure they have backup tools and services just in case their preferred vendor gets squeezed by paranoid legislatures or skittish board members.  Look for more tech experts comparing and contrasting LLMs for basic and advanced tasks.  And perhaps secure a bolt-hole in Tristan da Cunha as well.

• RELATED: Reid Hoffman’s Inflection just released version 2, calling it “the second most capable LLM in the world”. Anthropic releases Claude 2.1.  Coinkydink?

QUIBIS  

YOUTUBE

• YouTube creates sub-optimal experience for ad-blocking users.  Or maybe it’s just a renewed focus on “Antiicipaaation”.
• New program to allow advertisers to only buy Shorts inventory now in alpha testing.
• Bard now watches YouTube videos for you – I wonder what it “thinks” about ASMR?

META

• Captain Obvious department:  Meta exec insists that conversation drives engagement on Threads.
• Apparently Meta no longer needs a “Responsible AI” team.
• Public Reels can be downloaded by anyone – but creators can toggle the option on or off.

TIKTOK

• Now anyone can create effects right in TikTok – good to see these more broadly available as some creators drive real revshare.
• New report solidifies TikTok’s place as a leader in music discovery.
• TikTok appears to be testing a conversational way to customize your FYP.

OTHER CREATOR ECONOMY

• Time to pray at the church of Community, says Insider ($).
• Looks like screen time alone doesn't impact childhood brain development.  Guess I can't blame my problems on Bugs Bunny anymore.
• Twitter’s ultimate solution: “When all else fails, sue”.  
• Congrats to creator/CEO Phil Ranta on his new job as CEO of health/wellness/shopping app Spree.

GENERATIVE AI

• What a difference a week makes – new study of 50 top AI tools pegs ChatGPT at 60% market share.  Wonder what it’ll be next week?
• Zoom Fatigue is real – immersive VR meetings will likely need to incorporate more non-verbal avatar cues to make it better.
• Stable Diffusion launches its first foundational model for generative video.
• AI 2024 predictions from geek/futurist Kris Krüg .

TIPS - ChatGPT Plus process to create an “infinite” set of YouTube video ideas - from Ruben Hassid .

FLUFF - I asked ChatGPT to share which Game of Thrones character most resembles Sam Altman.  It responded:

 If we were to make a lighthearted and very subjective guess based on certain general characteristics, one might draw loose parallels with Samwell Tarly.  Samwell Tarly is a character known for his intelligence, love of books and learning, and a more scholarly disposition in a world where physical strength and martial prowess often take precedence. However, it's important to emphasize that this is a playful and subjective comparison, and it doesn't capture the full complexity of either the real person or the fictional character.

YMMV.

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