The author’s economy is reaching an inflection point as 2025 approaches: TikTok is in the midst of a potential extinction event. MrBeast tests the limits of the influencer megastarAnd there’s a changing of the guard underway on YouTube, the platform that arguably started it all.
Born in the mid-2000s, the auteur economy has grown into a $250 billion industry and may be worth up to $1 trillion by 2027, Goldman Sachs estimates.
At the same time, expansion has been limited: bigger festivals and algorithmic tweaks on platforms are making some small creators thrive.
And even as venture capital continues to pour in (especially in hot fields like synthetic intelligence, social shopping, and influencer marketing), the investor hype cycle has also slowed.
Here are some of the biggest high points and low points the creator economy faced this year — and some challenges ahead in 2025:
A potential TikTok ban is one of the biggest threats looming over the creator economy. The app reliably churns out stars, resides at the heart of internet culture, and serves as an engine for countless e-commerce startups.
TikTok Shop helped social shopping finally break through in the US in 2024 — driving $100 million in sales on Black Friday alone and becoming more popular among US online shoppers than Shein and Sephora, according to a report by Coefficient Capital and The New Consumer.
It’s possible that TikTok will simply be shelved through the Supreme Court or a more flexible Trump administration. But if a ban is passed, emerging creators will likely be hit the hardest.
Some are sounding the alarm, while others told Business Insider that they hope to shift their audience to YouTube and Instagram, which returned in 2024 and won over more teens, or even LinkedIn.
TikTok has remained somewhat unfazed during the legal war: CEO Shou Chew has reportedly made direct and indirect overtures to President-elect Donald Trump as the case heads to the Supreme Court.
Perhaps no modern author has reached heights like Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson, whose ambitious but challenging 2024 may simply serve as a style—or warning—to his fellow authors.
That being said, YouTube’s most subscribed star has a way of staying on top. Beloved for his generosity and some authenticity, Donaldson not only reaches untold masses, but also resonates with a coveted demographic of young men.
In July, allegations emerged that Donaldson’s childhood friend and longtime video collaborator, Ava Tyson, had inappropriately messaged a minor. (Tyson wrote on X in July that any accusations of grooming were false, adding: “I would like to apologize for any of my past behavior or comments if it hurt or offended anyone.”) Tyson and Donaldson parted ways.
A third-party investigation ultimately concluded that any allegations of sexual contact between company employees and minors were “without basis.” It said there had been isolated incidents of “workplace harassment” and that the company had taken swift action to deal with those.
Meanwhile, Donaldson also garnered headlines this year for “Beast Games,” a streaming game show that premiered in December on Amazon Prime.
The show, which he said grossed more than $100 million, amplified his already wide production reach and diversified his success beyond his original territory.
The display has sparked some controversy, with some contestants complaining about filming situations and injuries they say they suffered. Donaldson in the past said he may just not remark on sure allegations, yet also called some claims “misinformation. ” Amazon has not remarked.
YouTube’s stranglehold — with a $400 billion valuation — tends to go unnoticed. But the world’s largest video platform has further strengthened its reputation as a source of revenue sharing for creators this year.
Alphabet-owned YouTube has also emerged as an irrefutable powerhouse on TV screens — an all-important venue for advertisers — and in the influential podcast space. YouTube has long led Netflix in big screen watch time, and it’s also the most popular way for people to consume podcasts, per Edison Research.
Tragically, 2024 marked the death of creator economy architect Susan Wojcicki, the former YouTube CEO who shepherded key ventures like YouTube Premium and YouTube TV into the world. (Wojcicki had stepped down in early 2023.)
Despite countless victories, a long-standing trend has continued: veteran creators are abandoning their channels or raising the concept of quitting, with many citing age, burnout, and increased strain from platform switches.
Two formative creators officially left the platform in 2024: “Game Theorists” host Matthew Patrick and education creator Tom Scott.
And creators who rose to fame on YouTube also brought their ambitious projects this year: Donaldson’s aforementioned Amazon show, Jake Paul’s bout with Mike Tyson on Netflix, and a truly collective YouTube series, The Sidemen, which also transitioned to Netflix.
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