Top YouTube creator MrBeast has publicly expressed concern that artificial intelligence could endanger the careers of professional content creators. In a social media post, he questioned how AI-generated videos might affect the millions of people who make content for a living, calling the current developments “scary times.” Sarah Perez reports for TechCrunch.
As Forbes’ highest-earning creator of 2025, with an estimated 634 million followers, the comments from MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, carry significant weight across the industry. His concerns follow the launch of OpenAI’s new video generator Sora 2, which allows users to create AI videos through a mobile app. Major platforms are also embracing the technology. YouTube has launched AI editing tools and integrated Google’s own video model, Veo, which lets creators animate photos or apply new styles to their videos.
Commenters were quick to note that Donaldson has used AI technology himself. He previously released an AI tool for creating video thumbnails on his analytics platform, Viewstats. After facing criticism from fans and other creators, he removed the tool and said he would replace it with links to commission human artists.
The debate continues over whether AI content will be widely accepted or dismissed as low-quality. Experts also suggest that creators who use AI without disclosure risk losing their audience’s trust and damaging their reputation.