The Social Media Stars Reshaping Mainstream Media
The Social Media Stars Reshaping Mainstream Media
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cmo/2026/06/24/the-social-media-stars-reshaping-mainstream-media/
Publish Date: 2026-06-24 12:17:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com
Online creators have evolved from amateurs shooting iPhone videos they hope will find an audience to beloved personalities playing a vital role in today’s marketing ecosystem. Creators can grab people’s attention—and devotion—based on their on-camera charm, subject matter and entertainment value. According to statistics compiled by Salesgenie, four out of five marketers say creator content outperforms brand-created assets, and a third of marketers are spending more than $5 million on the influencer channel.
This week, Forbes named the 50 Top Creators of 2026, our fifth-annual rundown of the most powerful and influential personalities in social media today. I take a deep dive into the list later in this newsletter.
Until next time.
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Artificial Intelligence
Getty Images and OpenAI did not disclose any financial terms of the deal and it is unclear if the artificial intelligence giant will be able to train its AI models using Getty’s library.
Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
In a move that was a surprise to many, Getty Images signed a deal this week with OpenAI. The agreement brings Getty’s digital image libraries into ChatGPT, and its licensed content libraries will appear across OpenAI search, as well as in ChatGPT “discovery experiences.”
“High-quality, licensed visual content makes AI-powered search and discovery more useful and more trustworthy,” Getty CEO Craig Peters said in a statement. “This partnership with OpenAI reflects a shared recognition of that, and together we will deliver richer visual experiences to ChatGPT users.”
It’s unclear whether the deal will allow ChatGPT to use Getty Images for functions other than search, though throughout the AI age, Getty execs have touted the company’s commitment to…
