Listen to ‘The future of Instagram in 2026: AI-proofing your strategy’ on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your player of choice

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Kara (@TheWhimsySoul) for a real, no-fluff conversation about what social media is heading toward in 2026—and how creators can “AI-proof” their strategy without spiraling. We talk about why being more human (not more polished) is the advantage, how algorithms are tightening people into content bubbles, why short form is becoming less reliable for nurturing + converting, and how long-form + community are becoming the steady foundation again. We also get into monetization, brand deals vs. UGC confusion, why you need multiple revenue streams, and how tools like repurpose.io, manychat, and descript can keep you sane while you spread your content across platforms.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why being visibly human (not polished or perfect) will outperform AI-generated content in 2026
• How social media is shifting from nurture + conversion to primarily visibility, and what to use instead
• Why long-form content and community are becoming the most stable, trust-building platforms
• How algorithm “bubbles” are shrinking reach—and how niche pillars help you grow anyway
• Why creators need multiple revenue streams to survive platform and AI shifts
• How to use AI and automation ethically and strategically to work faster without losing credibility

FULL TRANSCRIPTION OF EPISODE…

Okay, I have Kara here with me. And I was actually talking about Kara, I think it was maybe two or three episodes ago. I don’t know earlier episode. I was talking about you, though. I was talking about that tip that you shared with me when we were in Portugal about creating the three different tiers for the brand partnership, was when you’re pitching people. And I was like, my good friend, Kara. This is her tip. I was like, all the credit to her, so I’m just so excited that you are on.

Kara is like I said. We met in Portugal, and we’ve just been good friends ever since. And we text back and forth, and we brainstorm together, we bounce ideas off of each other, and we talk about what’s going on in the industry.

And about, I think it was like two months ago, I came across an Instagram post, and it was talking about, basically the future of social media and how AI is impacting social media use. And I was like, let’s chat about this.

And there was just so much that we had to say we’re like, so much schedule a podcast episode and just chat about it on the podcast episode. So that’s what this episode is all about. But thank you so much for being here.

Kara: Thank you for having me. Yeah, I was traveling in Japan when you did that, and I felt so bad because I was just like, sitting in the room doing these audio voice notes to you, like, basically making a podcast.

And my husband had to, like, listen to me rant about AI on Instagram for like, a novel of like, as you know, I usually send novel like, level like podcast episodes to friends, like, 10 minute long voice notes. So I’m happy that we’re just actually making this an official podcast.

Maya: Yes, yes. Before we even hit record on this episode, we were just chatting back for that. I was like, wait, there’s so much juiciness that we want to get into. Like, let me hit record before we start talking.

What is your take on what social media is going to be like in 2026

Maya: The very first thing that I would just love to hear your thoughts on is, I guess, let’s just start off rip the band aid off like, what is your take on what social media is going to be like in 2026 and moving forward for short form as well as for long form

Kara: I have been this is something, obviously, it’s been in my mind a lot. And for anyone who doesn’t know who I am, I have been in I was thinking about this. My 11th year anniversary is next month that I started whimsy, sold my blog content creation journey.

So I’ve been around for a while, and I think that it’s I’m used to the changes. I’m used to pivoting multiple stages in the career. This pivot is scary, just because AI is I still can’t wrap my mind around it.

I think, as we’re kind of chatting before, human like, I hate using the word authentic. Is authenticity, Maya, but like, the humanness, I think is maybe a better word, is going to prevail.

Because again, like, as you’re chatting about, AI can make anything perfect. So for me personally, I’ve been trying to figure out how to add even more of my human self into my content.

Whether that’s the written words, of not caring if I have typos or, you know, having the ums and the like in things, but also just playing around more with the less perfect aesthetic content.

Because I was, I started in the age where, well, first, when I first started Instagram, was just all, like, taking pictures of your shoes next to, like, pretty floors. Do you remember like that?

Maya: I have this thing with floors trend, yeah.

Kara: And then it moved on to where not a lot of people can make nice photos, and I have a photography background. So I really won that era when I could easily take sexy, gorgeous, wander less, babe photos.

And then with the introduction of video, a lot of people, you know, with crappy iPhone 11 still couldn’t make good video.

But now, you know, I have the 17 this baby is so good I can create, like, movie level content on this phone, which means everyone can do that, and then add an AI.

So I think what’s going to win is being even more human. And I still haven’t figured haven’t figured out what that means for me yet, but just like remembering your humanness, I think.

Maya: Can you take us briefly through the different kind of shifts that you’ve seen over the last 11 years

Kara: Walking, walking back in history, yeah. So I remember, I think it was 2013 that it hit, because I was studying abroad in Rome, and my study abroad, and that was back when you couldn’t even take a even take a photo on your phone and then upload it later, like you had to post something instant.

That was the whole idea. And that sucked when you were in 2013 and you didn’t have good white like cell service in Italy.

So we all would just complain to each other about, like, how do we take photos? We want to upload this?

So that’s where it started. And then I started my journey, like, trying to do it professionally a few years later, and it was just a photo. It was just a single square photo.

And slowly, things like stories and taller photos and carousels sort of adapted.

And I remember when stories came out, that was a really big deal, because everyone’s like, they’re going after Snapchat, like Snapchat is dead.

And that was. Hard for a lot of creators, because suddenly we’re going from one beautiful, sexy photo of you to now you have to show up on like, a video. Yeah, really hard for people.

And then carousels and reels was maybe another hurdle.

And there used to be this era, even when people didn’t want to admit that they’re getting sponsored for things.

It was like this cool thing where a lot of conversations in my I call them vloggers, because that’s what we all started out here. But the content creators of San Francisco would get together, and we’d be so focused on making sure something was perfect.

Like 100% curated, perfect aesthetic, and didn’t feel too sponsoring.

And it’s almost like you didn’t want people to know it was sponsored, yeah? Like, we’re afraid that our audience would, like, leave us.

And now we’re at the point where it’s like, everyone’s like, yeah, queen, get your dollar bills. Like, this is sponsored.

So that was a nice shift. It took pressure, less pressure off.

And then there’s something around the pandemic.

When I think the influencer industry really catapulted, where a lot of creators didn’t know how to pivot.

Because that was, like, the first time where the world was on fire, and you couldn’t be, like, doing things perfect, because everyone’s like, you’re so out of touch, you know?

And I think that made a lot of the OG creators quit because they didn’t know how to pivot.

And now we’re almost at the point where things that are too polished, I think aren’t, aren’t doing well.

Because not only is it fatigued, but anyone can make that on AI.

And we just like, want to see faces.

Like, I have some friends I know in the city who refuse to show up in their content, and I’m like, I don’t think you’re going to survive the end of the year.

Because, like, anyone can take a picture of a beautiful house. AI can make a picture of a beautiful like house. Christmas decorations like this isn’t going to be sustainable.

Speaking of editing things, I’ve been playing around with descript. Have you used that at all?

I haven’t. But in scalability, my students have been, like, popping off in the chat talking about how amazing it is just this week, actually.

Yeah, it’s for anyone who doesn’t know what it is. You can do it for podcasts, but also YouTube videos specifically.

But the way that it’s set up is it’s like, your video and then a screen of text, and you can just edit the text and it will alter what you say.

So if I really messed up pronouncing a word, I can fix it, and it will, like, fix my audio.

Or you can use it as a way of editing, instead of, you know, looking for the clip and splicing it, and, like, cutting stuff out.

You can just delete that sentence and it deletes it from the video.

So if you are someone who’s still like, Maya Cara, I need to have things be polished. That’s my brand.

Yeah, lean on the AI tools in that way to make it polish but still reduce your bandwidth.

Because on the video, I tested it out, I was like, Oh, it took me five minutes to edit this, and in cap cut it would probably take me 15.

But that’s 10 minutes I got back in my life so and that was just, like a short video.

So, yeah, using the tools. If you can’t, can’t be off the cuff, use technology to help you.

I love that. I love that so much. This conversation was so juicy. Thank you so much.

I’m like, I have like, so many more thoughts, but I’m like, maybe we just need to do like, a part two or something.

We might need to do a part two. Yeah, yeah.

Especially, like, maybe even, like, six months from now, we can, like, come back and be like, Oh, hey, we were right or we were wrong, and like, here’s where we’re moving next.

So maybe that’s if we actually managed to go on a girls trip this year. We can do one together. That would be fun to, like, touch you.

Yes, please.

All right. Thank you so much for your time, for your thoughts. I absolutely love you and your love you.

Resources & Links:

• Follow Kara on Instagram or check out her website
• Join Scalability
• 30 free selling on stories prompts
• Scaling Unlocked Mastermind Application
• Kajabi 30-day free trial + 2 bonuses
• Manychat
• IG University

Some of the links mentioned are affiliate links, which help to support this podcast at no additional cost to you.

Connect with Mya:

• Follow on Instagram @myanichol 
• Join my email list
• Check out my website
• Now on YouTube

More about the Radical Disruption podcast: 

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