TOGETHER WITH

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Today’s News

🎤 YouTube interviews big stars
👀 Khaby Lame’s deal goes wrong
🤖 Tubi hits ChatGPT
✍️ YouTube talks up animators
👑 Technoblade’s dad honors his legacy

CREATOR COMMOTION

YouTube is sitting down with top talent on its own channel.

YouTube is “Channeling” its biggest stars through a new interview series

The series: YouTube is celebrating its top stars with a new web series on its official channel. Channeling kicked off earlier this week with a profile of Chilean creator Germán Garmendia, who was one of the first Latin American creators to achieve international recognition on YouTube.

In 2026, Garmendia remains one of the only people in the world who has two channels with at least 40 million subscribers apiece. Across his HolaSoyGermán and JuegaGermán hubs, the star has collected more than 23 billion lifetime views since beginning his YouTube journey in 2011.

The first episode of Channeling takes viewers inside the massive studio space Garmendia uses to shoot his new videos, while also exploring his creative philosophy, his relationship with fans, and the pressures of maintaining such a large audience.

The context: Garmendia’s rise from a kid with a dream to a multiplatform superstar is a story shared by many of YouTube’s top creators, and one that will make Channeling a compelling watch for fans.

On a more analytical note, the series also represents YouTube’s ongoing commitment to keeping up with the formats that thrive on its platform. From Hot Ones to Last Meals, eclectic interview series are all the rage right now, which is why YouTube’s official channel hosts shows like Watch History and Unlisted. The hub even offers some hour-long focus mixes (á la Lofi Girl).

YouTube has never been shy about feting the creators who thrive on its platform, either. That’s why it’s handed out golden play buttons to channels with one million subscribers since 2012, and why it’s now offering viewers a fresh look at some of its most famous stars.

🌟 SPONSORED 🌟

The Creator Lab will put digital media front and center at the 2026 NAB Show

The Creator Lab is coming back to NAB Show.

From April 18-22, media and entertainment’s flagship event will unite the world’s leading experts in Las Vegas for five days of discussion and innovation.

The 2026 Creator Lab will feature a 14,000 sq. main stage dedicated to discourse on the future of the creator economy, an exclusive Community Mixer, a dedicated podcast station, and more.

Here are three Creator Lab sessions you won’t want to miss:

“State of the Creator Economy” (Sunday, April 19)
Explore the trends driving the creator economy with Tubefilter CEO Drew Baldwin, The Influencer Marketing Factory CEO Alessandro Bogliari, and Traackr CEO Pierre-Loïc Assayag.

“The New Media Playbook for Creators” (Monday, April 20)
In this session, top creator Matthew Patrick (aka MatPat) and Sixteenth president RJ Larese will break down how creators are collaborating with broadcasters and streaming platforms to develop and distribute content at scale.

“Are We Nervous Yet: An AI Survival Guide” (Tuesday, April 21)
Join United Talent Agency CTO & Partner Eric Iverson and Pickford AI Head of Creative Bernie Su to learn how creators are experimenting with AI tools and balancing innovation with protecting their IP.

Claim your place at NAB Show before tickets run out:

Register for NAB Show →

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

Khaby Lame’s stock deal is looking shaky. (Photo by Momodu Mansaray/Getty Images)

Rich Sparkle stock has reportedly declined by 90% since January, leaving Khaby Lame’s $975 million stock deal looking far less lucrative than it initially appeared. (Tubefilter)
ChatGPT’s latest Pro tier costs $100/month and promises subscribers “5x more” usage of its Codex coding tool. (The Verge)
As Florida’s Attorney General launches an investigation into OpenAI, the ChatGPT developer is backing an Illinois bill that would protect AI labs from being held liable for certain types of societal harm. (TechCrunch, Wired)
A new Spotify tool allows users to turn off video content altogether. (The Verge)

AI WAVE

This is one solution for choice paralysis when you want to find something to watch on TV.

ChatGPT can now tell you what to watch on Tubi

The integration: If choosing something to watch seems like an insurmountable task these days, well…this one’s for you. Thanks to Tubi’s new integration with ChatGPT, users can now tell the chatbot about their viewership likes and dislikes to receive recommendations from Tubi’s catalog that fit those preferences.

“AI app stores and recommendations are quite new…But it’s a good bet that most of us will use AI agents to navigate the internet in the future. Tubi has always invested ahead of the curve when it comes to content discovery and personalization, and we’re leaning in to help shape this emerging interface in service of viewers.”

- Anjali Sud, Tubi CEO (via LinkedIn)

The context: Tubi isn’t the only platform experimenting with recommendation chatbots. YouTube, for example, is testing “Your Custom Feed,” where users are prompted to type an explanation about the types of content they like to watch. YouTube’s system—probably running on Google’s ChatGPT equivalent Veo—then serves up an entire new Home page with custom video pulls.

X has introduced a similar feature, while Spotify says its new “Prompted Playlists” tool lets listeners “steer the algorithm” to essentially build their own Discover Weeklys.

The main difference between those tools and Tubi’s recommendation feature is that the Fox-owned streaming hub’s ChatGPT integration isn’t actually on its own platform. Instead, it can be found within ChatGPT’s recently launched app store, joining other apps from companies like Apple Music, Zillow, Canva, and Spotify.

CULTURE & TRENDS

Indie animators are cleaning up on YouTube.

YouTube’s latest report suggests Hollywood has a lot to learn from animation creators

The report: From The Amazing Digital Circus to Hazbin Hotel (which inked a distribution deal with Amazon Prime Video after amassing a YouTube fandom), Google’s video platform has become a prime location for animators and studios to self-distribute projects.

That’s why YouTube’s latest Culture & Trends report centers on “Animation’s New Wave.”

“At a time when the traditional media landscape is dominated by preexisting IP, independent online animators are proving the exception, creating original characters and stories with engaged fan communities…”

- YouTube

While giants like Disney continue milking sequels, original animators are uploading fresh IPs to YouTube—and building megafandoms in the process. According to the report, 63% of 14- to 24-year-old animation fans watch original animated series created for YouTube at least once a week.

Using data from “people who are active online, age 14-49,” YouTube found that indie animations on its platform have significant international appeal and continue generating views months after being uploaded.

The report specifically cited Alien Stage, an original musical series from Korean YouTuber/illustrator VIVINOS and co-director/animator Qmeng. From Jan-Sept. 2025, videos with “Alien Stage” in the title brought over 330 million views, 90% of which were from outside Korea.

As YouTube noted, it’s not just official episodes that get fans’ attention. Series like Hazbin Hotel have inspired thousands of YouTube-posted fanworks, all of which help drive shows’ overall traffic.

The takeaway: Building a YouTube fanbase has a direct financial upside for animators and studios, too. Luke Humpris, for example, recently raised $450,000+ on Kickstarter to release a TTRPG based on his YouTube animations. YouTube’s report cited further examples of original animated series raising funds from fans, including Dungeon Flippers, which collected $178K.

Ultimately, the platform said, “the creativity demonstrated by independent animators is not just transforming the entertainment ecosystem on YouTube—it’s already changing the broader industry, which is rushing to license shows and work directly with creators.”

WATCH THIS 👀

Technodad will continue serving Technoblade’s community of fans.

A new channel will carry on Technoblade’s legacy

The Minecraft legend: Viewers within YouTube’s Minecraft community have become familiar with the saying “Technoblade never dies.” That phrase pays tribute to a beloved denizen of the blocky game world, who passed away in 2022 due to cancer.

Four years later, Technoblade’s impact can still be felt across the internet. The gamer (whose real name was Alex) has posthumously become one of the most-watched creators on YouTube, and his death has helped sarcoma researchers raise millions of dollars.

The channel: Now, Alex’s father is carrying on his son’s legacy. In an introductory video, the man known as Technodad announced the launch of a new channel called Team Technoblade, which he will use “as a way of keeping my boy’s memory alive.”