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.
Birthed in the mid-2000s, the creator economy has grown into a $250 billion industry and could be worth as much as half a trillion dollars by 2027, Goldman Sachs estimates.
At the same time, expansion has been limited: Greater algorithmic and festival adjustments to platforms make it harder for some small creators to thrive.
And while venture capital continues to flow (in such crowded spaces as synthetic intelligence, social shopping, and influencer marketing), the investor hype cycle has also slowed.
Here are some of the biggest strengths and weaknesses the author’s economy has faced this year, as well as some demanding situations looming 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 make social grocery shopping a reality in the US in 2024, generating $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 be able to move their audiences to YouTube and Instagram, which made a big comeback in 2024, winning over more teens, or even LinkedInArray.
TikTok has remained somewhat unfazed in the face of the legal battle — though 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-day creator has achieved heights like Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson, whose ambitious but challenging 2024 could serve as a blueprint — or cautionary tale — for fellow creators.
That 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 surfaced that Donaldson’s friend from his formative years and longtime video collaborator, Ava Tyson, had sent an off-site message to a minor. (Tyson wrote separately.
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 made headlines this year for “Beast Games,” a streaming gaming showcase 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 show has attracted some controversy, with some contestants complaining about filming conditions and injuries they say they sustained. Donaldson has previously said he couldn’t comment on certain allegations, but also described some of the claims as “disinformation.” Amazon hasn’t commented.
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 auteur economy architect Susan Wojcicki, former YouTube CEO who led key projects like YouTube Premium and YouTube TV around the world (Wojcicki had resigned in early 2023).
Despite countless wins, a long-standing trend has continued: Veteran creators are leaving their channels or raising the concept of quitting, with many citing age, burnout, and the increased stress of platform changes.
Two formative creators officially left the platform in 2024: “Game Theorists” host Matthew Patrick and education creator Tom Scott.
And the creators who rose to fame on YouTube also brought their ambitious projects this year: Donaldson’s aforementioned Amazon show, Jake Paul’s fight with Mike Tyson on Netflix, and a collective truth-telling YouTube series, The Sidemen, which also made the transition to Netflix.
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