DRIVING QUESTION

When legacy institutions like The Oscars chase relevance for their global audiences for exposure and platforms consolidate power, and new tools promise creative freedom, who actually controls attention and how should creators adapt without burning out or betting on the wrong system? Photographer and AI creative engineer Luka Ukropina joins the conversation to help unpack what’s shifting beneath the surface.

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this week’s Hot Bytes, Nicholas Clements-Lindsey is joined by photographer and AI creative engineer Luka Ukropina to break down a collision moment in the attention economy. From the Oscars courting creators to stay culturally relevant, to YouTube deepening its role as Hollywood’s distribution infrastructure, to new platforms like Nanna Banana promising creator-first alternatives, and TikTok signaling a more regulated, monetized future this episode examines how awards culture, algorithms, and platform strategy are reshaping visibility, credibility, and creative labor. Drawing on Luka’s background in legacy image-making and emerging AI tools, the conversation separates real shifts from performative ones and outlines the practical moves Gen Z and Millennial creatives can make now to stay visible, employable, and in control as the media landscape recalibrates.