Elon Musk Promises Increased Payments for Creators on X! Exploring the Impact and Reactions on Social Media

"Pay Creators More" — Musk's "Immediate Response" to X's Next Move

"If I were X or Elon, I would significantly increase payments to creators. Even more than YouTube. We're entering an era where securing content is worth paying for" —— In response to such a post, Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), replied with almost a single word.
"OK. Let's do it. But we will thoroughly eliminate any 'gaming' of the system" —— and he mentioned X's product lead, Nikita Bier. Bier immediately responded with "working on it," suggesting there is a new method to significantly reduce fraud. mint

This brief exchange has sparked expectations on social media about whether X will provide revenue opportunities comparable to or exceeding YouTube, alongside skepticism that it might just be another "bait."

What Happened: The Proposal to "Increase Payments"

This development is more about Musk giving a "go-ahead" to a user proposal rather than announcing a plan from scratch. The post argued that in an era where generative AI (LLM) learns and reproduces vast amounts of information from the web, "authoritative original content created by humans becomes valuable. Therefore, quality posts will gather on platforms that can pay." Musk agreed with the idea of increasing payments but added the condition of "strict anti-fraud measures." Business Standard

Bier also hinted at a method that could eliminate "99% of fraud," indicating X's intention to advance both "increased rewards" and "elimination of scams and inflation." mint

Background: Musk Himself Admitted "X Doesn't Pay Creators Enough"

This topic gained traction partly because "Musk had previously acknowledged the 'weakness in payments.'" According to reports, Musk had previously mentioned that X was not paying creators adequately and had issues with the accuracy of payment distribution, drawing comparisons to YouTube's system. mint

Furthermore, X's monetization (at least currently) is tied to ad revenue sharing with verified users, while the lack of transparency, delays, and fluctuations in payments have been criticized. Business Standard

Therefore, this "OK" is perceived not as "the usual provocation" but as a "signal of a directional change based on existing dissatisfaction."

SNS Reactions: A "Typical X" Buzz with Both Expectations and Cynicism

1) The "If They Really Pay, the 'Main Battleground for Videos' Will Change" Camp

On social media, there are many voices of pure expectation.
Reports also highlight the issue that while X has strong dissemination power and videos are easily viewed, it hasn't caught up with YouTube in terms of revenue. mint

The argument for this group is clear: "If monetization is added to a place with strong viewing and dissemination, people will move." Especially for short-form and breaking news creators, if X becomes a "second pillar of revenue," production decisions will change.

However, there is a "condition" here. Even if payments increase, if the rules remain opaque, they will eventually return to YouTube. Behind the expectations lies a desperate plea for "proper management."

2) The "Fraud Prevention First, Otherwise It's Hell" Camp

Next, those who strongly react to Musk's condition of "eliminating gaming" stand out.
"The more payments increase, the more fraud increases" —— this is the fate of ad revenue-sharing models. Bots, click farms, mutual engagement groups, mass-produced bait posts…. If left unchecked, those who create seriously suffer losses.
In that regard, Bier's claim of being able to "eliminate 99% of fraud" both raises expectations and sets a high bar. mint

On social media, this is an area where differences in temperature easily arise, with comments like "the numbers are too strong, making it worrisome" and "if they can really do it, it's revolutionary."

3) The "Stop Making Money by 'Reposting TikTok'" Camp (Sarcasm and Caution)

Symbolically spreading this time is the sarcasm in the Sportskeeda headline——
**"Pay without 'stealing TikTok videos'"** is the nuance of the reaction. Sportskeeda

This stems from the dissatisfaction that "X's video section is easily filled with 'clips and reposts from other platforms.'" If payments increase, the incentive for reposting also rises.

In other words, the sarcasm on social media is not only about "money" but also a demand for "platform quality."

4) The "The Real Battle is Over 'Authoritative Original Information'" Camp (AI Era Perspective)

As mentioned in the proposal post, in an era where AI "learns and regenerates" vast amounts of content, the value of original information rises relatively. Hence, the view that "quality original information gathers where it can be paid for" gained support. Business Standard

People with this perspective read the news not as "an increase or decrease in ad revenue," but as "enclosing the 'content supply network' in the AI era."
X's strengths are its immediacy and the density of discussions. If monetization is established, investigative, explanatory, and on-site creators may find it easier to choose X as "part of their livelihood."

——That's the vision of the future.

What Will X Change: The Focus is on "Design" Rather Than "Increase"

Currently, specific amounts, calculation formulas, targets (whether only videos or also text), and regional differences have not been disclosed. Only the direction is known——

① Positive about increasing payments, ② Prioritizing anti-fraud measures, ③ Aiming for a level comparable to YouTube. mint

From here on, the key to success lies in "design."

• Setting KPIs: Where to place weight, such as on views, retention time, saves, external inflows, and quality of conversation

• Repost Countermeasures: Detection of rights violations, re-posting of the same video, handling of clips

• Transparency in Fraud Prevention: Can they explain why payments were reduced or stopped?

• Payment Stability: How to suppress monthly fluctuations, payment delays, and sudden rule changes

• The "Profiting from Controversy" Problem: If extreme posts become reward-optimized, order will collapse

The more social media buzzes, the heavier the responsibility on X to respond with "implementation and operation." Conversely, if they can overcome this, X might be able to shift up another gear from being a "place for conversation" to a "place for creation and revenue."

From the Perspective of Japanese Creators: If They're Going to Do It, It's "Worth Trying Right Now"

For Japanese creators, there could be realistic benefits such as the following.

• Genres with Strong Immediacy (news commentary, sports, tech, economics, entertainment analysis) tend to have X as the initial point of dissemination

• Long-form for YouTube, Short-form and Announcements for X could circulate more easily with increased revenue

• On the other hand, areas with a high ratio of reposts and clips (viral videos, gossip) could "get rough" depending on the reward design

In other words, rather than "consolidating on X," the point is whether there is "room for increased revenue" in existing activity pathways.
While the excitement on social media tends to be short-lived, the real evaluation of this matter will begin "the moment the design is revealed."

Conclusion: The Value of 'OK' Will Be Determined by the Next Move

Musk's "OK" might not just end as a mere optimistic response. The battle for original information in the AI era, competition with YouTube, and the risk of becoming a "hotbed for reposts and fraud" —— X is trying to take on all of these as it re-challenges the creator economy. Storyboard18

The sarcasm posed by social media, "without stealing TikTok," is actually at the core.
It's not enough to just "pay." What to pay for and how to protect it.
X's next announcement will be a litmus test for that resolve.