The creator economy is alive and well, and countless small businesses and individual entrepreneurs pay their bills by making short-form videos appealing to the customer on the street. They project a personalized vibe, trying to connect to viewers in more direct and human ways than how endlessly focus-grouped, big-bucks corporate ad campaigns sometimes land. But AI, which is already impacting the job market, is also encroaching on this
In 2025 Broski is also writing her own rules about what it means to be a creator. In addition to hosting The Broski Reportand her medieval-themed YouTube celebrity talk show, Royal Court - she calls interviewing Superman himself, David Corenswet, a "career highlight" - she recently made her debut as a recording artist, first with what she calls a "proof-of-concept" cover of Harry Styles' "Adore You," followed by two smoldering original singles, "The Sun" and "Stained," which both show off her impressive pipes.
When a single YouTube video commands more views than a blockbuster premiere, when a TikTok Creator can launch a global trend overnight and when communities once overlooked by Hollywood are finding their voices through creators, it's clear that a new level of opportunity for the entertainment industry has been unlocked. Creators are expanding the industry's reach and helping to reshape its future (literally!), and the impact they are having is undeniable and transformative.
"You could have a bunch of AI slop that kind of keeps dumb people clicking," Best said. But that the same technology could enable a very different outcome: a "future where there's way more creative leverage" for independent creators, he said. Best also said that the real bottleneck for media isn't content, but attention. "We've entered a world where attention is the scarce resource," he said. "We have won the war on boredom." "There's no scarcity of content, but there's a huge scarcity of good content," he added.
Artificial intelligence is plowing ahead, but it could be setting back the multi-trillion dollar retail sector as humans doubt the authenticity of what they're buying ― and who's trying to sell it to them. Rapid advances in technology mean an army of AI influencers could soon be used to promote serums for acne they never dealt with, and jeans they never had to wiggle into.
Execs have insisted Netflix is superior to YouTube while also making it clear they're open to deals with its stars. "We're looking for the next generation of great creators, and we're looking everywhere," co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in April. It's not just talk. Netflix has done deals with star creators, including kids entertainer Ms. Rachel, The Sidemen, and, most recently, science educator Mark Rober.
For marketers, this is a window of opportunity. Even a creator with 20 million followers depends on algorithms to surface content. In CTV, the top creators appear in channels, a curated environment that looks and feels like television. That makes it easier for audiences to find them and brands to buy in. Creator shows are beginning to scale like TV programming with sponsorships, integrations, and media packages available, but now with loyal, intentional audiences built in.
Dude Perfect and Regal Cinemas announced a partnership bringing Dude Perfect: The Hero Tour documentary to hundreds of theaters this fall. The film will screen across 800 locations in the US, UK, Western Europe, and Australia for a two-week run starting September 26th, featuring tour highlights plus exclusive backstage content. Why It Matters: Movie theaters are getting creative with live sports, TV premieres, and special content to fill seats as ticket sales remain below pre-pandemic levels.
"It's such a critical part of the internet," Sinha, a partner at Point72 Ventures, said regarding the creator economy's enduring significance. He noted that initial hype might have subsided but remains confident in its importance.
For a monthly fee, Kajabi allows creators to build assets like digital shops, email newsletters, courses and podcasts. Instead of floating around in YouTube or TikTok's algorithm hoping the right person clicks on the right link, platforms like Kajabi give creators a way to build a more direct connection to their fans.
Substack raised $100 million in Series C funding, valuing the company at over $1.1 billion. The funds will be used to invest in better tools for creators, expand support for its ecosystem of writers, and 'double down' on its app.
Billion Dollar Boy's research found that around a third of marketers found that the following are their top three concerns: Managing relationships at scale, ensuring creator preference for brand partnerships, and maintaining authentic content.
