X has updated its creator revenue share program, rebranding it the Original Creator Rewards program with new parameters around what counts as original content. All participating creators must abide by the restrictions to earn payouts.
X's framing: "Creating original content takes time, effort, expertise, and creativity. The Original Content Rewards Program is designed to reward creators who bring those things to X. We want to recognize creators who break news, share expertise, tell stories, create entertainment, and contribute meaningful perspectives to the conversation."
This is the biggest gap in the rules. Technically, AI-generated images and video would be created "using automated means," but X has not specifically denoted AI-generated outputs within the new parameters. Depending on enforcement, this could become a point of contention.
The disinformation clause also warrants attention. X's definition differs from other platforms, particularly on political topics. The company runs no internal moderation team and increasingly relies on crowd-sourced Community Notes. The chief flaw: notes only display when contributors holding opposing political perspectives reach consensus — which on many political issues never happens. A Bloomberg analysis published in March last year found fewer than 10% of submitted Community Notes ever show up in the app.
Revenue share remains available only to X Premium subscribers, with payouts based on "unique impressions from Premium users on the Home Timeline feed." Since fewer than 1% of X users have signed up for Premium, the program is fairly constrained.
Posting volume is the backdrop. In May, within the SpaceX prospectus, X's parent reported roughly 350 million posts per day — down from the 500 million per day X reported in 2023. That 500 million broke down as 100 million original posts, 100 million replies, and 300 million quotes and reposts; SpaceX did not provide the same breakdown for 350 million.
Reducing posting incentives could slow momentum further. That may matter less to X than improving the content stream, since X posts feed the xAI databanks powering its AI projects. A cleaner feed is a more valuable one.
This extends a year-long focus. In April X changed its incentive program to reduce aggregator payouts; in March it demonetized AI deepfakes; in January it restricted crypto projects; and in March it proposed removing incentives for creators posting about political topics outside their home nation — a plan Elon Musk nixed after some favored users complained. The broader stream-cleanup trend parallels Reddit expanding AI moderation.
The new program begins September 8, and all creators currently enrolled in the existing scheme must reapply.
"Starting today, we're no longer accepting new enrolments into Revenue Sharing," the company said. "If you're currently enrolled in Revenue Sharing, you'll continue earning through September 7th, 2026 […] Starting September 8th, 2026, we'll begin rolling out access for existing Revenue Sharing members to apply for the new Original Content Rewards Program."
Creators must meet the revised eligibility requirements and can check account eligibility in Creator Studio.
X is now pricing originality rather than volume. How AI-generated content gets treated will determine whether the overhaul works.
September 8, 2026. Existing Revenue Sharing members earn through September 7 and can reapply under the new parameters starting September 8.
Copied or reproduced work, content downloaded elsewhere and reuploaded, content created or posted by automated means, monetization-coaching content, disinformation, and captions that merely describe what is already happening.
X has not specifically addressed AI outputs in the new rules. They could technically fall under 'automated means,' making enforcement a likely point of contention.
Only X Premium subscribers, with payouts based on unique impressions from Premium users on the Home Timeline feed.
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