The Weekly Digest: 28 October 2026
TL;DR
Instagram is rethinking how people discover and watch content, AI tools are becoming more capable and accessible, and new research shows creators gaining influence with both brands and consumers.
Welcome to The Weekly Digest: a weekly view on platform shifts, creator economy trends, and the tools shaping how creators build. Here’s what moved.
Platform Shifts
Instagram is giving users more control over their algorithm. Its Your Algorithm feature now extends across the app, allowing people to adjust the topics influencing their recommendations. It's part of a wider shift towards giving audiences more say over what they see.
Instagram is testing horizontal videos up to 90 minutes long. The new Features format lets selected creators share full-length podcasts, interviews and shows, with Reels linking directly to longer videos.
Facebook is introducing new tools for managing online communities. Its latest Forum updates aim to make it easier for admins to organise discussions and manage groups, reflecting the platform's continued investment in community spaces.
AI and the Creator Stack
OpenAI has introduced GPT-6.1 Terra, making AI-powered tasks more affordable. The model combines visual reasoning and computer use with API prices 50% lower than its predecessor, making practical automation more accessible.
Apple is adding more editing tools to its Creator Studio suite. The November update brings built-in visual effects and stock footage to Final Cut Pro, AI-powered image editing to Pixelmator Pro, and transcription support for 23 additional languages.
Canva has launched Craft, its first AI image model developed in-house. Built specifically for design, it generates editable images with greater control over composition and text, giving creators more flexibility within Canva.
Creator Economy
91% of surveyed brands now run ongoing creator programmes. Research from LTK and Northwestern University found that creator partnerships are becoming a permanent part of marketing, with growing demand for specialists and certified experts.
Gen Z is discovering products through creators almost as often as through search. Morning Consult found that 33% discover products through creator posts, compared with 37% through online search, highlighting the growing influence of trusted recommendations.
Creator marketing budgets are growing faster than overall marketing spending. Research from Boston Consulting Group finds that the market is expanding 1.5 times faster, even as nearly 70% of companies lack a dedicated creator marketing team.
This week's developments show how the creator economy is evolving on several fronts.
Social platforms are adapting how people discover and consume content, while AI is making it easier to turn ideas into finished work and build tools around individual needs.
What's particularly interesting is the growing recognition of creators' expertise. Brands are investing in longer-term relationships, and consumers are increasingly turning to creators for recommendations and guidance. It's encouraging to see this value being recognised beyond follower counts, and it reinforces the importance of building businesses around the knowledge and trust creators have developed.
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