MrBeast Warns AI May Upend the YouTube Creator Economy

AI-generated content sparks debate among creators over copyright issues
Posted Oct 8, 2025 5:48 AM CDT
MrBeast Warns AI May Upend the YouTube Creator Economy
FILE - Jimmy Donaldson, who goes by the online alias MrBeast, arrives at the 11th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony on April 5, 2025, in Los Angeles.   (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP File)

With generative AI now capable of producing entire videos from a single prompt, YouTube's top creator, MrBeast, aka Jimmy Donaldson, warns that creators could soon find themselves competing with machines—and facing tough questions about the future of creative work, the BBC reports. The recent debut of OpenAI's Sora, an AI that can make complete videos from simple text prompts, has drawn attention not just for the tool's capabilities but for the potential to easily copy copyrighted characters and works. Donaldson pondered the issue on X, Gizmodo reports, writing, "When AI videos are just as good as normal videos, I wonder what that will do to YouTube and how it will impact the millions of creators currently making content for a living. scary times."

Lars Erik Holmquist, a professor at Nottingham Trent University, points out that AI can make content creation dramatically cheaper, shifting the landscape in favor of those who use these tools to make compelling videos. Some types of content, like sleep-aid videos, are already being produced entirely by AI. Still, Holmquist doubts AI will completely replace figures like MrBeast, noting that his appeal hinges on real people doing unusual or risky things—something AI can't convincingly mimic. But at Gizmodo, Lucas Ropek points out, "Running a viral empire is expensive, and Donaldson reinvests his profits into the content. Overhead for an AI influencer would be a pittance in comparison."

If Donaldson is worried, writes Sarah Perez at TechCrunch, smaller creators are likely much more worried. The anxiety isn't unique to YouTubers. Creators across entertainment, including film and gaming, have pushed back against rapidly evolving AI tools, especially as these systems become integrated into their own industries. YouTube itself now offers generative AI features—such as Google's Veo video generation tool and auto-generated subtitles—to help creators streamline content production. Interestingly, Donaldson himself this summer played around with AI for creating video thumbnails, but removed the tool after backlash ensued.

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