This is the year that the power dynamics in Hollywood finally flipped.

The content creator industry, which has been ascendant for decades, finally surpassed traditional Hollywood in terms of clout, cultural capital and, increasingly, size. But as the creator industry is rapidly professionalizing, it’s also facing disruption by the proliferation of AI, the platform landscape is being upended by politics, and livestreaming is rewriting the nature of fame and fandom.

In 2025, YouTube became the No. 1 streaming platform, surpassing competitors like Netflix and Amazon for the first time. People now watch more YouTube on their TV sets than their phones or any other device, making YouTubers some of the biggest television stars today. Outside of YouTube, the creator economy is now a $250 billi

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