Casey Neistat can't figure out YouTube's algorithm anymore
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Casey Neistat speaks at Axios' AI+ NY summit on June 3, 2026. Photo: Mark Davis for Axios
YouTube star Casey Neistat says he no longer fully understands what drives success on the platform.
Why it matters: AI recommendation systems are making YouTube feel less predictable, even for some of the internet's most accomplished creators.
Driving the news: Speaking at Axios' AI+ NY Summit on Wednesday, Neistat said he recently returned to posting more regularly on YouTube, only to find the platform feels fundamentally different than the one where he built his career.
- His own videos that he considers mediocre have attracted millions of views while ones he believes are among his best have not gained traction.
- "The work that I create is now slave to this AI-driven algorithm that is optimized for something that I no longer have any understanding of," Neistat said.
Zoom in: Neistat said he has largely avoided using AI in his own creative work and sees opportunity in focusing on the "human aspect of filmmaking."
- Neistat compared the moment to filmmakers like Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino, who are celebrated for practical effects and celluloid film, despite the rise of CGI-heavy blockbusters.
- AI-generated content may be embraced by audiences faster than some expect. Neistat pointed to Doug Liman's AI film, which uses real actors but relies on AI for scenery and other enhancements in post-production.
- "It's a tidal wave that's coming," he said. "My advice always is figure out what your boat or your surfboard is so you can ride it and embrace it and figure out your pathway through this change."
Zoom out: The success of films "Obsession" and "Backrooms" is evidence that the next generation of Hollywood talent may emerge from YouTube, Neistat said.
- "You're going to find these creators that have a much better understanding of what the audience's appetite is that are going to start finding prominence in the more commercial aspects of media," he said.
What to watch: Neistat is spending much of his time with ModRetro, a startup focused on handheld gaming systems, founded by Palmer Luckey.
- Neistat said he was drawn to the mission because of his growing frustration with doomscrolling. He keeps a ModRetro gaming device with Tetris in his pocket.
- "I have such resentment for my phone and most of the tech that exists," he said. "I have like such a contentious relationship with it, and [ModRetro] is building products that are about the love of the game."
