Creator Weekly: Gemini Omni Video, Spotify Memberships, Twitch Creator Badge Drops

Dear readers, it’s Memorial Day weekend, which people use to mark the unofficial start of summer with BBQs. It feels like many people forget it’s meant to be a day of mourning for those who died in US military service. I’m going to take a moment of silence out of my holiday to remember.

This week was Google I/O, which was all about AI. Even if generative AI isn’t your thing, it’s useful to know where it may be popping up. 

There are also updates for YouTube, AdSense, WordPress, Spotify , Facebook, LinkedIn, and more. 

Join me on Sunday for Creator Weekly Live.

Top Updates

• Gemini Omni is the new “Nano Banana” for creating and editing video, and is available in the Gemini app, Google Flow, YouTube Shorts Remix, and the free YouTube Create app. 
• Ask YouTube answers queries with a mix of text and relevant videos. 
• Google Flow movie maker has an AI Agent to help with brainstorming and tasks, a shareable Tool creator, song editing updates and a new mobile app. 
• Google Pics is a new Google Workspace AI-powered image creation and editing tool, making it easy to edit objects and text in generated images. Plus integration with Slides. 
• Google Search search box is now AI focused, search can generate interactive visuals, and you can have a search Agent working for you 24/7.
• Spotify podcasters can easily monetize with memberships and sponsorships. Listeners can use AI to create a custom podcast. 
• YouTube improved TV viewing with AI search, more info in descriptions, and expansion of Stations.
• YouTube image Posts can have music and added text and appear in the Shorts feed. 
• Twitch launched new monetization and community features including Creator Badge Drops and Custom Power-Ups. 
• Kick has a new algorithmic feed, and is reducing discovery of inorganic streams. 
• WordPress 7.0 (Armstrong) is now available, with AI Connectors, updated dashboard and new layout blocks. 
• AdSense Collapsible Anchor Ads (now Dynamic Anchor Ads) are now available on desktop, with the possibility of increased revenue for your site.
• Google Workspace app icons (Gmail, Drive, Meet, Chat, Slides, Sheets, Calendar) have a new gradient look. 
• Adobe is adding a Connector to Gemini to direct connection in Creative Cloud apps. 
• Facebook added new web publishing tools, the Content Planner calendar and Reels Bulk Uploader. 
• Automatically share Threads posts to Instagram Stories.
• LinkedIn is trying to crack down on AI slop posts and comments. 
• X is limiting posting of non-Premium subscribers.
• Plus what’s bugging me, a couple interesting reads and more.

Google I/O: AI Everywhere

This week was Google I/O, Google’s annual developer conference. Google uses it to announce new features and give an overview of the direction they are taking this year. And, not surprisingly, it’s AI in everything. 

And overall, I found it not that exciting. It felt very much like more of the same we’ve been seeing for the past couple of years. There’s some neat video generation using Gemini Omni, AI summaries taking over Google Search results, chat tools to improve productivity in Gmail and Docs, and agents completing tasks on your behalf. 

• 100 things Google announced at I/O 2026
• New ways to create and get things done in Google Workspace
• Everything new in our Google AI subscriptions, fresh from I/O 2026

For creators, here’s what’s new: 

Gemini Omni: “Create anything from any input”, like Nano Banana for video. 

• Combine images, audio (currently voice references), video and text as input, and output “high-quality videos grounded in Gemini’s real-world knowledge”, its “intuitive understanding of physics” and “knowledge of history, science and cultural context”. 
• Edit any video with natural language, changing environment, angle, style or details and characters and scenes stay consistent. 
• Generate an “explainer” video from a few prompts.
• Use Avatars to create a digital version of yourself, using your own voice. (Not available in the EEA, Switzerland or UK). 
• Availability: Gemini Omni Flash is rolling out to the Gemini app and Google Flow for AI Plus, Pro and Ultra subscribers, and YouTube Shorts and YouTube Create App.

Ask YouTube: Designed for complex search queries and follow up questions. Answers include relevant Shorts and long-form videos. Casey Newton points out it "might return a synthesized answer that stitches 30 seconds from three different videos -- and resolves your question well enough that you never click into any of them."
Availability: Premium members age 18+ in the US. But this will roll out to all YouTube users “soon”.

Remix Shorts with Gemini Omni. Reimagine any Short with Remix enabled. You can use a text or image prompt, and remix up to 10 seconds of video. Watch the demo. Some users may be able to Remix using a personal AI Avatar. And soon coming to the Shorts AI Playground for generating stand-alone clips.

Gemini Omni in the YouTube Create app. No AI subscription is required.

Google Flow: Google’s AI-powered movie making platform.

• Gemini Omni Flash. (Google AI subscribers) 
• Google Flow Agent to help with brainstorming, creating, and editing. It can even bulk edit.  (Everyone
• Google Flow Tools: Use natural languages to create new tools in Flow (like a video resizer or custom shader). Tools can be shared with other Flow users and remixed. (All Flow users can use existing Tools, Google AI subscribers can create and remix Tools) 
• Google Flow Music: Highlight and edit sections of a song to change the beat, lyrics or other features. Create “cover song” versions to reimagine your originals. 
• Google Flow Music videos: Use Omni Flash to create a music video. (Google AI subscribers)
• Flow (Android in Beta) and Flow Music (iOS) mobile apps. Apps for both platforms are coming soon. 

Google Pics: AI image creation and editing tool in Google Workspace, using the latest version of Nano Banana. 

• Object segmentation: Every element is treated as an object you can modify or remove.
• Text editing and translation. Edit images in Google Slides and Drive.
• Collaborate with shareable canvases.
• Available now to trusted testers, and eventually available to AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.

Watermarking: All generated images and video clips are watermarked with SynthID. Gemini can check images and videos for the SynthID watermark, and will soon be able to check C2PA Content Credentials (which can show if the origin was AI or a camera, or if it’s been edited with generative AI tools). 

Google Search: The search box is now redesigned for AI queries, with AI-powered suggestions, and search with images, files, videos or Chrome tabs as input. You can have Search generate interactive visuals, right in the search results (no need to visit the original website source). And there are also personalized AI agents to monitor for changes to a specific question 24/7. Watch the promo video.

Spotify Podcast Updates

This week was Spotify Investor Day, where they announced a number of updates for podcast creators, music artists and listeners.

Verified by Spotify is expanding to podcasts, in a move meant to thwart impersonation. This will be available to podcasts based on audience engagement, audience authenticity and compliance with Spotify policies.

Spotify will be launching a new tool that allows fans to create covers and remixes from participating artists and songwriters. This will be available to Spotify Premium subscribers as a paid add-on. The idea is that this will be another revenue stream for artists and songwriters who opt in (or whose label opts in).

Spotify announced new podcast features

• Ask Spotify questions about a podcast you are listening to, with real-time answers. (Available in US, Sweden, Ireland).
• Creator Sponsorships: creators and publishers in the Spotify Partner Program can book and manage sponsorships for video content.
• Memberships: Creators can offer exclusive experiences for Members. And Creators can import and export Members across platforms. Launching initially for “select creators”.
• Personal Podcasts: Users can “generate and schedule short, private audio episodes tailored to their interests”. You can add context with text, PDFs or links and customize the output, which is for you only.

Studio by Spotify Labs is an AI tool that can “help to find the audio you want faster”, including researching topics, organizing information and completing tasks. It’s personalized by connecting to your calendar and inbox. It can create a daily briefing, personalized playlist or generate a short podcast. The output is saved to your Spotify Library.

Spotify for Authors soon will launch Audiobook Creation Tools (beta). This allows self-published authors to create audio versions using ElevenLabs AI voice technology.

YouTube and Video

YouTube has made improvements on connected TVs and game consoles: 

• Conversational AI Search
• Chapters in descriptions
• Gaming title cards in video descriptions
• Like counts on video watch pages
• Improved ranking on the Top Channels shelf
• “Up next” teasers at the end of videos
• “Stations” is expanded to more channels, with curated videos in a continuous stream

YouTube now lets you add music to photo and carousel Posts in the Shorts feed (an experiment that launched last month).

• Add up to 10 photos
• Optionally add text overlays
• Add audio from the YouTube Audio Library or AI Dream Track
• More creative features will roll out this year.

TikTok One with Creator AI Search is designed to help Brands find creators for their promotional campaigns. Brands can search using a campaign brief, then either Shortlist or Invite creators immediately. There are also tools for finding brand-relevant content to boost.

Twitch has new features to “reward viewers who show up” for your big moments. 

• Creator Badge Drops are custom badges unlocked by subs or minutes watched. 
• Custom Power-Ups (powered by Bits) trigger fun effects. 
• Twitch is testing different types of Hype Trains with different triggers and rewards (like Community Trains where all viewers get an emote). 
• These are available to all eligible monetizing streamers (which can be almost anyone over 18). 

StreamYard lets you easily rearrange guests and media in the stream backstage area. 

Streaming platform Kick is trying to “level the playing field” for discovery, with a new algorithmic feed (rather than high to low viewers), and is reducing discovery for streams with inorganic viewer activity.

Apple announced new accessibility features, including automated subtitles for videos played on your device. (Android has had this feature for years)

Web Publishing

Google Search May 2026 Core Update is rolling out.

WordPress 7.0 (Armstrong) is now available. 

• Connect external AI (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini) in a central hub.
• Updated dashboard, with a new look, review revision versions, manage fonts. 
• New layout blocks: Gallery with lightbox slide show, hide and reveal blocks based on viewer device, Patterns to fine tune design, and custom CSS.

WordPress(dot)com announced a number of new features, including automated Posts to Podcasts, an Achievement Badge page, WordPress Workspace for Mac, and Easy Site Editor (in beta).

AdSense collapsible anchor ads are coming to desktop and wider screens,  along with a name change to “dynamic anchor ads.” AdSense says this is to “better host high-value demand, like outstream video and responsive display ads,” meaning potentially more revenue. This will launch automatically for your site if you have enabled both “anchor ads on screens wider than 1000px” and “collapsible anchor ads.”

If you are an AdSense publisher and use TFCD (Tag For Child Directed Treatment) or TFUA (Tag For Under Age of Consent), that is being replaced with the new TFAT (Tag for Age Treatment). You can tag for CHILD, TEEN or UNSPECIFIED. The old tags will need to be replaced. If you don’t recognize those acronyms, no need to update.

Tools

Google Workspace icons (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, Chat, Gmail, Calendar, Tasks) have a new look with gradient effect colors. Some of the icons look similar to the versions before G Suite became Google Workspace in 2020.

You’ll soon be able to use Gemini to direct creation in Adobe Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere and Express. This is a similar tool to Adobe’s Claude Connector and Firefly AI Assistant. You describe what outcome you want, and Adobe’s creative agent figures out which tools to use and the correct sequence.

Firefox is undergoing a redesign (“Project Nova”) to make the browser  “feel cleaner, warmer, faster and more adaptable.”

There is a new Bing Image Search with an AI-guided experience. You can try it out now (click the link for details).

Social Media

Facebook added more Creator publishing tools on the web.

• Content Planner calendar: schedule posts, note your publishing cadence and performance of past posts at a glance.
• Reels Bulk Upload: Upload in bulk, schedule publishing in advance, add descriptions, run copyright checks, edit videos in the Reels composer.
• Available from the Creator Dashboard Content tab > Create on the web. This is available with Professional Mode enabled on your Profile or Page.  Check it out www.facebook.com/professional_dashboard/content/content_library/ 

Threads now lets you automatically share your posts to Instagram Stories.

LinkedIn says it’s trying to crack down on AI slop, automation tools and generic content by reducing the distribution beyond the poster’s immediate network. You also filter for comments and conversations by verified members (identity verification is free). The kind of content they are targeting: 

• Content that is generic or repetitive, “even if it appears polished on the surface”. 
• Comments posted using automation tools with little or no human involvement.
• Responses that just restate the original post.

In an interesting move, X is limiting the ability of non-Premium subscribers to post. Before you get annoyed, the new limits are still pretty high: 50 original posts and 200 replies per day. Most non-spammers/junk posters won’t ever post that much.

What’s bugging me

Techcrunch: Google Search as you know it is over.  “With the revamped Search experience, the new search box simply expands to accommodate longer, more conversational queries, rather than making you decide what type of search experience or mode you want to choose at the start of your query.”

The mode I want is search, not an AI summary with information that may have been taken out of context, retrieved from a dubious source, or simply fabricated.

Interesting Reads

Platformer: Google's James Manyika is betting that doomers are wrong about AI and jobs. His view is that jobs are changing, but still need people.

Steve Mould on YouTube: You’ve Never Seen a Real Photo. It’s about how photos represent color and the Lippmann Plate technique.

Thanks for reading! 🌼