MrBeast has raised significant concerns regarding how artificial intelligence may disrupt the livelihoods of countless content creators, despite actively exploring the technology.
On Monday, the 26-year-old shared his thoughts on social media, pondering how videos generated by AI could influence the “millions of creators currently making content for a living.” He ended his post with a stark warning: “Scary times.”
MrBeast, whose actual name is Jimmy Donaldson, topped Forbes’ 2025 creator list, boasting earnings of $85 million and an impressive follower count of over 634 million across various platforms. His standing in the creator economy means that his concerns about AI could have a wide-reaching impact beyond his immediate audience.
His comments follow the recent launch of Sora 2 by OpenAI, an advanced AI video and audio generator, alongside a new mobile application that enables users to create AI videos of themselves. The app, which features a vertically-scrolling feed similar to TikTok, quickly became the most downloaded app on the US App Store.
In the meantime, YouTube has ramped up its AI integration. The platform has introduced innovative tools, including Veo, an AI video model that can animate still images and apply various filters, as well as automated clip generators tailored for live streams and podcasts. Additionally, an AI chatbot has been implemented within YouTube Studio to assist creators in managing their channels more efficiently.
Despite his worries, MrBeast has incorporated AI into his projects. Earlier this year, he faced backlash for launching an AI-powered thumbnail generator via his analytics platform, Viewstats. Following criticism from fans and artists alike, he promptly withdrew the feature and replaced it with links to human designers available for commission. His company’s philanthropy arm has also made selective investments in AI-related initiatives.
The increasing availability of AI tools has sparked a broader discussion: will this new wave of AI-driven creativity enable everyone to become a content creator, or does genuine originality continue to rely on human imagination and storytelling?
Critics of AI-generated content assert that such media often appears low-effort and formulaic, branding it as “slop.” There are also concerns that undisclosed AI utilization could jeopardise creators’ authenticity and harm their relationships with their audiences.
