Kaito AI founder Yu Hu has announced the end of Yaps and its incentive leaderboard mechanism, replacing it with Kaito Studio as the company’s new strategic focus. The move marks a shift away from a permissionless and open incentive distribution model toward a creator distribution and marketing system centered on selection and tiered collaboration.
A Shift Toward Curated Creator Partnerships
Under the new framework, Kaito Studio is designed to help brands identify qualified creators and build more structured marketing relationships around them. Instead of relying on open participation and leaderboard-driven incentives, the platform will emphasize brand-led creator selection and more deliberate collaboration across different creator tiers.
Kaito Studio will offer data analytics, multi-platform distribution, and cross-industry collaboration tools, serving sectors that include crypto, finance, and artificial intelligence. This suggests Kaito is expanding beyond incentive-based engagement into a broader infrastructure play for content distribution and brand marketing.
Other Kaito Products Remain Unchanged
Yu Hu said the transition will not affect the company’s other offerings, including Kaito Pro, Kaito API, Kaito Launchpad, and the upcoming Kaito Markets. The team is also working closely with partners to make sure the transition proceeds smoothly.
Overall, the strategy change shows Kaito AI redefining its role in the creator economy. Rather than operating mainly as an open incentive network, it is moving toward a more curated platform focused on creator quality, campaign matching, and measurable distribution outcomes for brands and partners.