MrBeast's Beast Industries bets big on AI-driven entertainment future
YouTube Star MrBeast Seeks Executive to Build "AI-Native" Productions
YouTube sensation MrBeast is searching for a senior leader to help his company create "AI-native" content. A recent job posting states that Beast Industries aims to develop a new production capability where artificial intelligence is "not just a tool, but the foundation." The ideal candidate will help define "what AI-native entertainment looks like, develop original formats, and build systems that enable content to be conceived, produced, and scaled with AI at its core."
AI is already playing a role in major productions. MrBeast—whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson—isn't the first creator to explore its potential. His fellow superstar influencer Steven Bartlett has been producing fully AI-animated shows since last year.
Still, as a top YouTube creator with 479 million subscribers, Donaldson's moves in this space are being closely watched by the entertainment industry. Many production studios now use AI in areas like production, marketing, and visual effects, while startups are raising millions on the promise of helping traditional Hollywood transition into the AI era.
So far, fully AI-driven productions have largely been limited to animations, podcasts, and short-form videos. In the micro-drama space, apps like TikTok's Pine Drama and Vigloo offer AI-generated, character-based dramas. These AI dramas account for 10% of Vigloo's library, according to a spokesperson. Beijing-based startup StoReel recently secured $34 million to produce AI micro-dramas.
AI-powered production could solve key challenges for Donaldson, known for his viral, high-budget challenge and giveaway videos—even as his company has cut costs. One expectation listed in the job description is using automation to produce more content at a faster pace.
AI-driven video production also addresses a fundamental risk for any creator building a business dependent on their own time and personality. As Donaldson expands into consumer goods and services, his ability to appear in his own videos becomes more constrained. He recently hired former NBCUniversal unscripted formats executive Corie Henson to lead his studio division and aims to grow the company's video franchises. This week, he revealed that Beast Industries now employs 750 people.
Donaldson himself has expressed concerns about AI's risks to the industry. After OpenAI released Sora 2 last fall, he mused on X about what AI advancements could mean for creators, adding, "Scary times." He also launched—and later removed—an AI tool for generating video thumbnails last year following backlash from fellow creators.
