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YouTube is making it harder to earn money on YouTube

10 August 2026 at 19:26
Illustration of a YouTube logo with geometric background

Starting February 1st, 2027, creators who want to monetize their channel through YouTube's Partner Program (YPP) will need at least 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year, or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. That's a sizeable jump from YouTube's current requirement of 1,000 subscribers with 4,000 watch hours in the past year, or 1,000 subscribers with 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days. Creators will also need to maintain 10 million Shorts views over 90 days to earn money from the Shorts Creators Pool, though falling below this threshold won't result in removal from YPP.

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Read the full story at The Verge.

Watching Roku’s AI channel is like eating from a trough

7 August 2026 at 20:59
An AI-generated illustration of a man in a suit holding up a purple pocket watch.

The appeal of free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels has always been the way they make it easier to (re)discover classic films and series. But Roku's latest experiment in the FAST space has less to do with traditionally produced entertainment and is entirely focused on giving viewers access to a constant source of AI-generated content.

This week, Roku added four new channels to its library of streamable programming. Along with dedicated feeds for old episodes of Mad TV, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and a variety of Black sitcoms, the platform also debuted a 24/7 stream filled with projects from Colin Petrie-Norris' AI startup, …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Disney Plus tries a new AI-powered search

7 August 2026 at 19:53
Disney’s AI tools for Disney Plus and ESPN.

Disney is testing a new AI-powered tool for Disney Plus that uses a natural language search, a voice query, or a suggested prompt to create a customized row of show and movie recommendations.

Disney Plus, like other streaming services, can recommend shows to watch based on your viewing history. But the company says this new tool, which is "a limited beta experiment" that's in testing with a "small group of select subscribers," is intended to recommend content that "fits the moment."

A screenshot of Disney's AI-powered search experiment.

The feature is the latest in a broader push to offer AI-powered recommendation tools that help you find something to watch among massive catalogs of streaming …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Spotify expands AI remix and covers project with Merlin partnership

4 August 2026 at 17:50
Spotify says Merlin, which represents more than 30,000 independent labels and distributors, has joined Universal Music Group in backing its upcoming AI-powered remix and covers product. The paid tool will let fans create AI-generated covers and remixes of participating artists’ music while ensuring artists opt in, receive credit, and are compensated.
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