It’s been almost 19 years since an innocuous trip to the zoo became the platform’s first video. YouTube has since amassed hundreds of millions of viewers, consuming endless hours of videos.

But some people who helped fuel YouTube’s rise are walking away from the platform that gave them their big break. Creators with large followings and active channels are throwing in the towel, whether due to burnout or frustration over keeping up with the ever-changing platform, Business Insider’s Lindsay Dodgson writes.

Take YouTube megastar MatPat, who built multiple successful channels focused on dissecting theories behind complex storylines. When he announced his retirement earlier this year, he predicted other YouTubers might do the same.

“I think the dam is gonna burst in a lot of ways,” he said.

That doesn’t mean YouTube is necessarily in trouble. The platform is crushing it, with 12 straight months as the top streaming service, according to Nielsen data, and a massive ads business. Gaming, podcast, and commentary channels also continue to thrive, Lindsay writes.

Ultimately, though, YouTube could become dominated by two types of media: High-end videos à la MrBeast, and AI-generated content.