TheWrap Events is a host of exceptional ability. Studies show that a vast majority of guests attending events by TheWrap have been known to leave more elated than visitors to Santa's Workshop, The Lost of Continent of Atlantis, and the Fountain of Youth.
TheWrap Events is a host of exceptional ability. Studies show that a vast majority of guests attending events by TheWrap have been known to leave more elated than visitors to Santa's Workshop, The Lost of Continent of Atlantis, and the Fountain of Youth.
TheWrap Events is a host of exceptional ability. Studies show that a vast majority of guests attending events by TheWrap have been known to leave more elated than visitors to Santa's Workshop, The Lost of Continent of Atlantis, and the Fountain of Youth.
Thank You for Joining Us at AI Creator Day 2026!
It was our honor to bring together creators, storytellers, technologists, brands and industry leaders in Los Angeles for a day of bold conversations, live demonstrations, creative showcases and meaningful connections exploring how AI is reshaping creativity and the creator economy.
We extend a heartfelt thanks to our speakers, attendees, partners and sponsors for making our inaugural AI Creator Day such a memorable gathering — and for bringing your ideas, curiosity and creativity to the conversation.
This is only the beginning. We can’t wait to bring the community together again for more ideas, more innovation and more conversations about what’s next.
See you next year!
Stability AI CEO Prem Akkaraju kicks off AI Creator Day with a look at how AI is putting studio-level creative power directly into creators’ hands. He’ll explore how independent filmmakers, artists and storytellers can now bring ambitious ideas to life without studio-sized budgets, how Hollywood and independent creators are navigating this shift, and what comes next for the future of content and creativity.
- introduction by Mike Gioia, Co-Founder, AI on the Lot
- Katherine Rundell, Senior Director of Partnerships, Cantina
- Vincent Marcus, Content Creator, Comedian & Social Media Influencer
- moderated by Shira Lazar
A conversation about how creators are using AI to extend their ideas, characters, and storytelling beyond the feed: into interactive experiences, persistent worlds, and formats that didn't exist a year ago. What stays in your control, what becomes possible, and how the creators who built the last era are shaping the next one.
Founder & CEO, TheWrap
Founder, CEO & host, What's Trending
Shira Lazar is an Emmy-nominated digital culture expert, Adweek AI Trailblazer, and 2026 TIME100 Creator. As founder of What's Trending and host of The AI Download podcast, she has shaped the creator economy, social media, and AI conversation for more than two decades, reaching over 4 million followers across platforms.
1. Enter UCLA from Hilgard Avenue.
From Hilgard Avenue, enter the east side of campus at Wyton Drive.
2. Turn right onto Charles E. Young Dr. East.
Follow the signs for Parking Structure 3.
(Parking Structure 3 address: 215 Charles E Young Dr N, Los Angeles, CA 90024)
3. Park in Structure 3.
UCLA uses the ParkMobile app for event parking. Please download the app in advance and purchase parking from your phone when you arrive.
ParkMobile Zone: 2552
The event parking code will be valid beginning 3 hours before the event
All speakers will be reimbursed for parking upon check-in.
More detailed parking instructions: HERE
From the ground level of Parking Structure 3, enter the underpass and walk straight.
You’ll pass Melnitz Hall and Macgowan Hall. Turn left at the plaza and continue into the courtyard of the theater.
More detailed walking directions: HERE
UCLA's interactive campus map provides step-by-step directions to Freud Theater from anywhere on campus:
Rideshare: If you’re taking an Uber or Lyft, please use 245 Charles E. Young Dr. East, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (Macgowan Hall/Freud Theater) as your destination.
Please allow extra time for campus traffic and drop-off.
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Oren Rosenbaum is a Partner and Co-Head of UTA Creators at leading global talent, entertainment, and sports company UTA. Rosenbaum sits across a broad array of negotiations, representing some of the most notable names in the creators space, including Emma Chamberlain, Markiplier, Guy Raz, Lewis Howes, Mel Robbins, Stephanie Soo, Ashley Flowers and her audiochuck network, Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports, as well as additional networks including Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark’s Exactly Right Media, Tinkercast, Tenderfoot, Dear Media, Wondery, Campside Media, Pineapple Street Media, Jubilee Media, and iHeartMedia.
As a first-to-market in the space, Rosenbaum and his team continue to reinforce the agency’s position as dealmaking leaders in audio. Under his leadership, Rosenbaum’s team have navigated the ever-evolving landscape and created an innovative playbook that continues to guide client success in a booming market.
Rosenbaum has closed numerous deals on behalf of clients including the partnership between Barstool Sports and Fox Sports, the partnership between Red Seat Ventures and Kill Tony, the launch of Alex Cooper’s Unwell Network and Ashley Flowers’s new SiriusXM channel Crime Junkie. Additional chart-topping client deals in Rosenbaum’s portfolio include Stephanie Soo’s The Rotten Files vodcast exclusive on Netflix, Alix Earle’s (Hot Mess) and Madeline Argy’s (Pretty Lonesome) podcasts, MrBallen’s series Medical Mysteries exclusive with Wondery, as well as Ballen Studios shows Run, Fool!, a co-production with At Will Media and Campside Media, hosted by Rodney Barnes, and Bedtime Stories.
DeStorm Power is an Emmy Nominee, American Music Award winner and Five Time Streamy Award winning Actor, Musician, Writer, Comedian and Director. An Entrepreneur, he is a Founder of the Zeus Network, Ghost Studios and Dramatik Verticals App.
With over 30 million followers across his social platforms, he has written and starred in thousands of digitally created videos. The host of Season 10's PUNK'D, well-known for his creativity, laugh out loud comedy and infectious musical hooks, DeStorm is one of the most recognizable faces in the digital space.
Taryn Southern is an award-winning storyteller, speaker, and creative technologist whose work explores the intersection of emerging technology and human potential.
An early YouTuber with more than 750+ million views, Taryn’s groundbreaking tech experiments include composing the world’s first AI pop album (2017), creating an award-winning Google VR series (2018), directing a Tribeca Film Festival documentary on brain-computer interfaces (2019) and creating one of the first digital clones (2020).
At one of the world’s leading implantable neurotechnology companies, Taryn oversaw marketing and communications for two successful funding rounds totaling over $230M+. This past year, she taught a course for business and engineering students at the world’s only AI-first university in Abu Dhabi. She continues to advise and speak at Fortune500 companies on AI and human potential.
Rourke Heath is the founder of GenHQ, the world’s largest Creative AI education platform, on a mission to create 100,000 new jobs in the Creative AI industry. With over 1.3M followers across platforms, he’s one of the leading consultants in the Creative AI space — working with Fortune 500 companies to integrate Creative AI into billion-dollar businesses, all while building his own company to an eight-figure valuation. Inside GenHQ, his cohort of students has generated over $500,000 in documented wins in just 10 months, most of them having never used Creative AI before. He’s partnered with leading AI companies including Magnific, and regularly speaks and trains at industry events on how creators, brands, and professionals can turn AI into real-world opportunity.
Chris M. Williams is the Founder and CEO of pocket.watch, the largest next-gen creator media company that develops, distributes, and monetizes creator-led content and IP for young audiences. Previously, Chris served as Chief Audience Officer at Maker Studios and founded Take180, both of which were acquired by The Walt Disney Company. At Disney, he launched Disney Online Originals. Chris's vision for pocket.watch is to reshape entertainment in the digital age by empowering creators while ensuring young audiences have access to truly engaging content. As a thought leader, he has significantly impacted the evolution of online entertainment.
Caleb Ward is the CEO of Curious Refuge, an online platform and community pioneering the use of AI in film. He is deeply dedicated to democratizing the creative process by unlocking the inner storyteller inside everyone. His AI training empowers artists across the creative spectrum, from Academy Award Winners to aspiring artists looking to learn storytelling for the first time. He has trained thousands of artists worldwide and in every major studio. He believes AI is dramatically changing the creative landscape and elevating the creative potential of artists around the world.
Rebecca Grone is the Head of Impact at 11:11 Media, the next-gen media company founded by Paris Hilton and Bruce Gersh. Rebecca leads the non-profit arm, 11:11 Media Impact, which is dedicated to creating meaningful and lasting change worldwide. Rooted in Paris’s lived experiences, the organization leverages strategic advocacy, socially conscious storytelling, and philanthropic investments to address critical issues such as protecting children from institutional child abuse and fostering inclusion for individuals with learning and thinking differences.
Over the past five years, Grone has driven Paris Hilton’s advocacy to reform the Troubled Teen Industry, contributing to the passage of the bipartisan federal Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, the advancement of 15 state laws protecting more than 13 million children, and the launch of the federal investigation Warehouses of Neglect. She also developed Trapped in Treatment; the acclaimed investigative podcast produced with iHeartMedia and Warner Bros. More recently, Grone has expanded her advocacy into digital safety and the harms of non-consensual AI-generated content, supporting 11:11 Media’s work to raise awareness around deepfakes and advance protections through legislation such as the DEFIANCE Act. Her broader impact work includes mobilizing more than $2 million to support displaced families and female small business owners impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires, as well as significantly elevating awareness and resources for women with ADHD.
A graduate of the University of Southern California and an alum of Rise Justice Labs’ legislative accelerator, Grone previously served as Impact Producer for the PBS documentary Duty Free and as Program Coordinator for the USC Medical Clowning Program, the first U.S.-based training and research program in the therapeutic art of medical clowning.
Before joining IAB, James spent nearly two years at TikTok as the Global Agency Lead for Amazon and Omnicom, championing the platform's creator-first content model and capabilities across its most strategic partners.
Prior to that, he spent over a decade shaping social and creator marketing at Publicis and IPG, where he launched a social media agency within IPG and built growth marketing, measurement, and creator capabilities across a variety of clients at Publicis. Earlier, he also worked within Omnicom and Dentsu as a digital media lead and management consultant, and also at Ask Jeeves, leading international content. Over his career, he’s lived and worked in 14 countries.
Rebel Audio is founded by serial entrepreneur and two-time Emmy nominee, Jared Gutstadt (Jingle Punks, Audio Up), who has long pioneered the intersection of music, branded content, and storytelling.
Gutstadt’s career catalog includes projects with entertainment icons and brands like Bob Dylan, Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, NAS, Machine Gun Kelly, Miranda Lambert, Jelly Roll, SiriusXM, Audible and The Weeknd, and was the key architect in defining the sound of global unscripted television with his award winning contributions to The Voice, Pawn Stars, American Pickers and countless sports marketing endeavors.
Gutstadt’s work can be seen in Rolling Stone, LA Times, Variety, Adweek 2022 Podcast of the Year Awards, Billboard, CBS and more.
Don Allen III is a creative technologist and futurist who leads the A.R.T. Department at Asteria Studio, sits on Adobe's Creative Council, and advises WhatsApp and Meta's Ray-Ban hardware division. A former DreamWorks Animation specialist trainer, he's the author of Make a Seat and host of the Rethink Reality podcast, where he makes emerging technology feel usable to everyone.
Paige Piskin is a pioneering AR Makeup and Lifestyle Creator whose influence spans the digital beauty landscape with over 300 billion impressions and 1.3 billion shares across social platforms. Dubbed a "Legend" by Vice, she has designed 300+ AR effects and filters for top international beauty brands and influencers, cementing her reputation as one of the most prolific creators in the augmented reality space.
Jagger Waters is a writer, producer and multidisciplinary AI Creator with over a decade of experience across film, TV, audio, immersive, live events, and digital storytelling. As an early adopter at the forefront of AI-driven video production, her work has been recognized by SXSW, the Sundance Institute, VidCon, Adobe, Cannes, Raindance Film Festival, Fox Studios, the Producers Guild of America, Forbes, and the Television Academy.
Verena Puhm is the Founder of Matriarch, an L.A.-based AI-native studio developing tech-influenced IP, serving Hollywood studios, and building the infrastructure for how content is made and experienced in the age of AI.
Former Head of Dream Lab LA at Luma AI, Verena built the industry's first next-generation cinematic R&D studio, pioneering scalable AI-driven production pipelines across live-action, animation, and hybrid formats. At Matriarch, she's spearheading Affective Content Intelligence, the studio's proprietary approach to understanding audience response by combining biometric signals, self-reported emotional intent, and content data, moving beyond clicks and completion rates to inform creative development, discovery, and greenlighting. Her work has been recognized by Deadline, Forbes, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Los Angeles Times.
Jenny Stojkovic didn’t grow up with CEO parents, Ivy League connections, or a financial safety net. Raised in a small Canadian farm town by a blind father and a mother who worked as a liquor store cashier, she learned early that nothing is handed to you — you have to build it yourself. That mindset, which she later coined the Why Not Me?™ philosophy, propelled her from humble beginnings to the heart of Silicon Valley. There, she led global policy work for companies like Google, Meta, and Airbnb and built a reputation as a trusted voice at the intersection of business, technology, and policy.
Today, Jenny is one of the youngest female venture capitalists in the U.S., serving as General Partner of Joyful Ventures, and has invested over $25 million into early-stage, values-driven startups. Jenny is a sought-after keynote speaker, known for delivering high-energy, insight-packed talks on artificial intelligence, leadership, innovation, career growth, and the future of work, especially for first-generation professionals and underrepresented talent.
Jenny has been featured on Good Morning America, Fortune, and Fast Company, and has spoken on global stages including SXSW, Dreamforce, the United Nations, and Google. She combines deep tech experience with personal storytelling and real-world strategy to help audiences navigate disruption, embrace bold thinking, and lead with clarity, no matter where they start in life.
Chris Capel is a comedy director with over 15 years of experience bringing laughs to brands like El Pollo Loco, LEGO and Jimmy Kimmel Live! With two decades in animation and a deep background in VFX, his work blends timing, character and craft in a way that hits the sweet spot where story meets technology. He's worked on more than ten feature films at DreamWorks and Disney, directed AAA game cinematics for Blizzard and Blur, and delivered sharp commercial work for Apple, EA and Supercell.
Chris treats generative AI like a creative playground, using it to fast-track big ideas and serve up comedy with extra bite. With nearly 200k YouTube subscribers and over 100 million views across platforms, he's built an audience the old-fashioned way, with brains, heart and a knack for whip-smart comedic storytelling.
Bernie is a Peabody and three-time Primetime Emmy award-winning director, producer, and interactive storyteller pushing the boundaries of narrative storytelling. He is the creator and showrunner of Whispers, Pickford.ai's groundbreaking interactive mystery series where audience prompts influence the show’s real time scene generation. He also serves as Pickford's Head of Creative.
His Emmy-winning works include Jane Austen adaptations The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Emma Approved—capturing YouTube's first two Primetime Emmys and Artificial, the live interactive sci-fi series that became Twitch's most decorated original series, winning a Webby, Peabody, and Primetime Emmy.
Bernie also creates and directs commercials and branded entertainment campaigns, working with Maybelline, Samsung, Olay, New York Life, and Old Spice. He is a sought-after speaker on generative AI's transformative impact, ethics, and risks across the creator economy and traditional entertainment industry.
Jon Flynn is Head of FoxNXT, FOX Entertainment’s next-generation production division, where he is responsible for integrating advanced, technology-driven production techniques across the company’s slate. His career spans entertainment and big tech, and he most recently led Google’s entertainment business.
Karen Robinson is a Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Adobe Inc., where she leads global litigation, anti-trust, IP, cybersecurity legal, as well as global consumer trust and AI ethical innovation. Karen also sits as a board member on the Adobe Foundation. Prior to joining Adobe, Karen held positions at Google and was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
I’m Rebecca Zamolo- a creator and storyteller who has spent the last decade building a YouTube community and growing an audience of over 50 million followers and am one of the most popular females on the platform today. My content varies from challenge videos and interactive series to personal content about my health, IVF journey, and becoming a mom. Outside of social media my books have spent 10 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers List, launched very successful products in major retailers but what I am most proud of is my supplement line of Fertility products called Molo which launched last year in Walmart and Amazon.
I’m Matt Slays, a creator, musician, and producer best known for the Matt Slays YouTube channel and for creating family-friendly content alongside my wife, Rebecca Zamolo. Over the last decade, I’ve built a community of more than 8 million subscribers while working both in front of and behind the camera to create digital entertainment for families around the world.
Darin Stewart is a creator and director working across AI and traditional production. He created and directed The Arc, leading story, direction and generation across all five episodes. His client work spans venture-backed AI companies and hybrid productions with WWE and Pretty Bird, following a career as a creative director and producer on commercial campaigns for Puma, Ferrari and Rhude, and music projects with Travis Scott, Megan Thee Stallion, Juicy J and Stevie Wonder.
As Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer at Influential, Chris Detert has played an instrumental part in the launch and continued growth of the company, which exited to Publicis Groupe in 2024 for $500M. His 20+ years of experience leading top brands and agencies include his post as VP of Marketing at $300M fashion phenomenon, Von Dutch, as well as his role of CEO and owner at American Rebel PR. He has been featured in top publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Hollywood Reporter, and Billboard, as well as broadcast media appearances on CBS, HLN, MTV, VH1, E!, A&E and Bravo.
Vincent Marcus is a popular content creator, comedian, and social media influencer known for his engaging and often hilarious videos. Gaining recognition primarily on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, Vincent has built a strong following due to his diverse talents, which include impressions, skits, and comedic commentary. His ability to mimic a wide range of celebrities, characters, and cultural icons has earned him praise and made his content relatable and entertaining for a wide audience.
His content often blends humor with personal insights and relatable situations, making him a beloved figure among younger viewers. He engages in collaborations with other influencers and brands, further expanding his reach and influence. His authenticity and natural comedic timing have helped him connect with his followers on a deeper level, making him a sought-after personality in the digital space.
Katherine Rundell leads Partnerships at Cantina, the social AI platform founded by Sean Parker. She partners with creators, celebrities and brands to build new AI-powered IP and revenue streams on the platform. Katherine brings more than 15 years of experience at the intersection of creators and technology, including prior roles at Andreessen Horowitz, beehiiv and Twitter. She remains an active advisor to startups across consumer, AI, and creator-led businesses.
Roger Cheng is the managing editor of PRO and business for TheWrap. He's covered the intersection of tech and media on consumers as a beat reporter and then editor for more than a quarter of a decade. He previously ran CNET News and worked as a senior reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, and got his start as a page designer at the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
Kayla is a senior reporter at TheWrap, covering the business and content of the creator ecosystem as well as streaming and linear television. Before joining TheWrap in 2023, she was the Senior TV Reporter at Decider, the New York Post’s entertainment vertical that focuses on the streaming industry. Kayla is also a member of the Television Critics Association.
Shira Lazar is an Emmy-nominated digital culture expert, Adweek AI Trailblazer, and 2026 TIME100 Creator. As founder of What's Trending and host of The AI Download podcast, she has shaped the creator economy, social media, and AI conversation for more than two decades, reaching over 4 million followers across platforms.
Maverick Maltin started posting in May 2025 because he was already the guy explaining ChatGPT to friends and family; a year later he has 3M+ followers, a billion views, and a newsletter read by 250,000 people twice a week. His audience isn't the tech crowd but the professionals, small business owners, and parents trying to put AI to work, and that's why more than 100 brands, including OpenAI, Canva and Perplexity, have trusted him to show it to them.
Jesse Wellens is a filmmaker, creator, and AI innovator who has spent over 15 years pushing the boundaries of digital storytelling. After building an audience of millions through YouTube and social media, Jesse has expanded into filmmaking, directing, and emerging AI technology. He currently leads AI-driven creative projects for Snoop Dogg and Death Row Records, exploring how generative AI can transform filmmaking, music, entertainment, and the future of content creation.
A celebrated actor, producer, and director with more than 140 film and television credits. A veteran member of the Producers Guild of America, and the Television Academy, he has produced nine feature films and the Primetime Emmy®-nominated series RZR.
In AI-powered filmmaking, Bianchi has formed a strategic creative partnership with Higgsfield.ai to produce an original episodic series and recently directed a fully generative-AI music video for internationally acclaimed artist Don Diablo.
Colin Petrie-Norris is a streaming TV pioneer and the Founder and CEO of Fairground Entertainment. Launched in 2024, Fairground Entertainment is an AI platform bringing first-of-its-kind AI programming to television and empowering the next-generation of creators with pathways to new audiences, resources, and monetization.
Before founding Fairground, Colin founded Xumo into a premier free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service. Following Xumo's acquisition by Comcast in 2020, he spearheaded its expansion alongside Charter into a global FAST ecosystem. Earlier in his career, he helped scale Advertising.com through its successful acquisition by AOL.
Simone Ferretti is a leading figure in narrative AI filmmaking who has built a audience of 1.7 million followers and trained over 5,000 business owners and creators. As the co-founder of AFMCreatorStudio.com, he leads one of the pioneering companies using AI to produce end-to-end stories; from short films to full series. He has also created high-impact campaigns for global brands including Adobe, Google, Mercedes-Benz, Intel and many others.
Dorothy Pang is an award-winning visual artist, filmmaker and creative director with a multidisciplinary background in fashion, tech and acting. Her work has been recognized by Forbes, SXSW, Art Directors Club of New York and Leonardo's Top 50 Women AI Filmmakers. Working at the intersection of AI and traditionally filmed production, Dorothy most recently served as a Creative Lead with 30 Ninjas on an upcoming feature film.
Ana leads creator strategy and partnerships for CapCut in the U.S., with a focus on how AI is reshaping content creation. She works at the intersection of creators, technology and industry partners, building programs and collaborations that bring CapCut’s AI-powered creative tools closer to creators and their evolving needs. With over 16 years of experience in the creator and social media ecosystem, Ana is passionate about connecting emerging technology with creative talent and helping define what the next generation of content creation looks like.
Creative Technologist, Nik Kleverov, is redefining how brands and studios build IP and tell stories in the age of AI. As co-founder and CCO of Emmy-recognized creative agency Native Foreign, he has helped bridge Hollywood storytelling, emerging technology, and global brands, while being behind many of AI’s industry-defining firsts - including the first-ever AI commercial, the first AI short to earn U.S. copyright, and Critterz, the world’s first AI animated family feature film. A sought-after public speaker and leading voice in generative media, Nik regularly speaks to Fortune 500 brands, studios, and creative leaders about the rapidly evolving future of storytelling, entertainment, and AI.
Prem Akkaraju is the CEO of Stability AI. In 2023, Stability AI was named one of “TIME100 Most Influential Companies.” Stable Diffusion models have been downloaded over 354 million times and generated over 80% of AI images online in 2023. In 2024, legendary filmmaker and visual effects pioneer James Cameron invested in Stability AI and joined its Board of Directors alongside Sean Parker, Prem Akkaraju, Thomas Laffont and Dana Settle.
Previously, Prem was the CEO of Weta Digital, the Academy Award-winning film production and visual effects company behind titles like Avatar: Way of Water, Planet of the Apes, and Game of Thrones, generating over $22 billion in global box office revenue. At Weta, he founded Weta Cloud, a cloud-based film production pipeline that was later sold to Unity Software for $1.625 billion. Additionally, Prem is a TED speaker and was an Executive Producer on the Oscar-nominated film, The White Tiger. He has an MBA from Columbia University and lives in Los Angeles with his wife Mary Ann and two kids.