Jimmy Donaldson’s company – aka MrBeast – is looking for someone to lead a production team where AI is “not just a tool, but the foundation.”
YouTube star MrBeast is looking for an executive to help his company create “AI-native” productions.
A job posting states that Beast Industries wants to build a new manufacturing capacity where AI is “not just a tool, but the foundation.”
We are looking for someone who can help define “what AI-native entertainment looks like, develop original formats and build systems that enable content to be designed, produced and scaled with AI at its core.”
AI is already part of large productions
MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, would not be the first creator to work on AI. Fellow superstar Steven Bartlett has been producing fully AI-animated shows since last year.
Still, as YouTube’s top creator with 479 million subscribers, Donaldson’s moves in this area will be closely watched by the entertainment industry.
Many production studios are using AI in production, marketing and visual effects, and startups are raising millions with the promise of helping traditional Hollywood transition into the AI age.
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To date, fully AI-powered productions have largely been limited to animations, podcasts and short videos.
In the microdrama space, apps like TikTok’s Pine Drama and Vigloo offer character-based dramas generated by AI. These AI dramas make up 10 percent of Vigloo’s library, according to a spokesperson. Beijing-based startup StoReel recently raised $34 million to produce AI microdramas.
AI could be particularly useful for creators
AI-driven productions would solve some problems for Donaldson.
He is known for his viral, high-budget challenge and competition videos, although the company has cut back on spending. One of the expectations stated in the job description is to produce more content faster using automation.
Producing AI-driven videos also directly addresses the risk every creator faces when building a business that relies on their time and personality. As Donaldson expands his business into consumer products and services, this limits his ability to appear in his own videos. He recently hired former NBCU unscripted executive Corie Henson to head his studio division and is looking to expand the company’s video franchises. He said this week his company now has 750 employees.
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MrBeast himself is not uncritical about AI
Donaldson himself has expressed concerns about the risks of AI to his industry.
After OpenAI released Sora 2 last fall, Donaldson mused on
He also released a tool that used AI to generate video thumbnails last year – then removed it after receiving heavy criticism from creatives.
