What Indian creators think about Elon Musk's new master plan to end AI slop on X

X is ending its revenue sharing programme for creators. Here is how some Indian creators feel about the decision, and the new programme that is replacing it.Elon Musk is changing how creators are rewarded for posting on X. When Elon Musk bought Twitter—and rebranded it to X—one of the big changes he introduced was the revenue sharing programme. The idea was to encourage people—anyone and everyone—to post more frequently on the platform. For X, it meant a potential increase in engagement even as people who would post more often got incentivised by real money. After almost three years, that programme is being retired and, in its place, X is launching the original content rewards.The name itself is a dead giveaway. X wants to reward people—creators—for posting original content. It is also a formal acknowledgment that the content on the Musk-owned platform had gone off the rails recently as people learnt to “gamify” the system to maximize payouts to a point that the programme’s incentives had started to “misalign.” In theory, the new original content rewards programme should help X crack down on these users in particular—those who were allegedly exploiting the platform—while rewarding “the creators who bring original ideas, expertise, creativity, and unique perspectives to X.” Whether or not, it happens in the real world, remains to be seen.Why did X retire the old revenue sharing programme?Under the older programme, it was seemingly a lot easier for anyone to make money from X, even if all their content wasn’t necessarily original. Now, per the new rules, people can earn revenue only through “qualified impressions” on “original content.”Tech creator Noah Cat, who goes by the handle @Cartidise, says the revamp will help cut down on growing AI slop on X. “The change will massively reduce the amount of slop and engagement bait on this platform,” Noah tells India Today Tech. Under the old system, creators were required to have 5 million profile impressions in 90 days. Now, the impressions requirement has gone down to 5,00,000 but there is a twist. The impressions must be verified from paid X subscribers. Also, the impressions on replies will no longer be counted.Interestingly, creators who were part of the earlier programme have to apply fresh as they are no longer automatically eligible for the new system. This is where Noah Cat believes that the platform could’ve been a bit more lenient. “I think the 5,00,000 verified home timeline impressions requirement is too much and it discourages small creators. It should've been 2,00,000 or something, in my opinion,” Noah notes. Independent tech analyst Yogesh Brar (@heyitsyogesh) says the changes could lead to a significant fall in number of creators getting paid for their posts. “The pool of eligible Premium creators getting paid will likely drop from around 60–70 per cent down to roughly 10 per cent,” according to Brar.The bit that is being carried forward is the number of verified followers one must have to be eligible for a payout. It remains 500 as before.Sanju Choudhury (@saaaanjjjuuu), another tech creator on X, says that the change may leave out some smaller creators who do create original content. “A few small creators who were continuously posting their content with originality are affected since they might not have the 500k verified impressions are nearly impossible for them since their reach is not that good,” Choudhury tells India Today Tech.Are creators going to change the way they post on X?Experts say that despite the changes and stricter qualifying criteria, some people may still be able to game the system. “This platform works on algorithms and baits so one can do that and will become eligible. Original content can be tweaked and copied in a different way too,” Choudhury explains. “If you ask me, I’ll say those who were already a part of it should’ve been the part of new programme already.”Some creators feel strongly that the new guidelines may not be enough to bring a meaningful impact to the platform. Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) suggests that the change may not do anything meaningful. “If they personally identify creators and put them in the list of original creators (that might help), otherwise it is useless,” he tells India Today Tech. “They can just fluff, but in reality, they do nothing.”When asked if the new programme will lead to any change in the way he has been posting, Sanju Choudhury replied, “I've been posting my own content since the beginning, but the platform is totally dependent on the algorithm and not the quality of content.”He clarified that he was not eligible for the new programme yet. “But in future when I get eligible, yes, I'll continue to be a part of it,” Choudhury added. Noah Cat, who is eligible, says that he will “continue posting what I usually do.”But for someone like Yogesh Brar who did not rely on X as a major source of revenue, things are different. He explains, “I was never posting on the platform just to get paid. If platform payouts were my primary goal, my feed would already be full of AI-generated slop and engagement bait, as that is what drives the raw view metrics required to earn.”To give you some context of how much a creator can earn from the older programme, Yogesh Brar says, “In the Indian tech space, you typically earn about $60 (roughly Rs 5,700) to $70 (roughly Rs 6,670) per month from the platform.”But the rate varies depending on the region. “The CPM (Cost Per Mille) here is significantly lower than in markets like the US, UK, and South Korea,” Brar explains. “For comparison, Indian creators in the entertainment and political niches make around $120 (roughly Rs 11,430) to $150 (roughly Rs 14,300) right now, while US rates are roughly 10 times higher than ours.”Noah Cat said that he usually earns between $300 (roughly Rs 28,600) to $700 (roughly Rs 66,700) per payout. A payout happened every two weeks as part of the older programme.What should a new creator do?Given the changes introduced as part of the original content rewards programme, creators should focus more on new ideas and original posts, rather than just resharing what others are doing, according to experts.Choudhury says, “Stick to your original content and provide good stuff for long term instead of posting bait contents, as due to bait contents this programme has changed drastically and the one who deserves gets no chance to stand in front of baiters.”Noah Cat concurs. He believes that you should not chase after engagement solely, and rather focus on your account as a whole. “Focus on being yourself rather than getting engagement. Make friends who'll support you. Turn on notifications for big accounts that post original content and learn from them. Share your thoughts and opinions on whatever interests you,” Noah says. "Also, avoid engaging with slop accounts that beg for follows/replies, do not join engagement groups, and avoid using AI to write your posts.”Yogesh Brar, on the other hand, believes that this change should be a wake-up call for those relying solely on a single platform for revenue. “Chasing algorithmic targets and sheer profile views is a losing game for standard creators,” he explains. “Focus on building genuine authority in your space and monetize off-platform through direct sponsorships or independent revenue streams.”Creators who were part of the older programme will receive their final payouts in three phases – one on August 14 and one on August 28 as part of the standard payout schedule, and a final payout for earnings accrued through September 7, expected on or around September 11.The first payout for the new programme will be issued on August 28, while existing revenue sharing creators who enroll after becoming eligible on or after September 8 will receive their first payment on September 25.- EndsPublished By: Armaan AgarwalPublished On: Aug 11, 2026 14:28 IST