Rich through 'brainrot'? Indian AI monkey channel 'Bandar Apna Dost' earns $4M a year

An India-based YouTube channel featuring AI-generated videos of an anthropomorphic monkey has become the world's most-viewed channel made entirely with artificial intelligence, earning an estimated $4.25 million annually, according to a new study highlighting the rapid proliferation of low-quality AI content across the platform.

"Bandar Apna Dost" has amassed 2.07 billion views and 2.76 million subscribers with short animated clips showing a rhesus monkey and a muscular, Hulk-like character in exaggerated scenarios. The channel, created in 2020 by Assam-based Surajit Karmakar, lay dormant for years before surging to viral popularity after posting AI-generated shorts starting around mid-2025.

AI Content Dominates User Feeds

The findings come from video-editing company Kapwing, which analysed 15,000 of YouTube's most popular channels worldwide. The study identified 278 channels consisting entirely of AI-generated content, which collectively have garnered 63 billion views, 221 million subscribers, and an estimated $117 million in annual revenue.

In a test of YouTube's recommendation system, Kapwing created a new account and found that 21 per cent of the first 500 videos shown were AI-generated, while 33 per cent qualified as "brainrot", compulsive, low-quality content designed primarily to capture attention rather than provide value. "AI slop" refers to careless, auto-generated videos made to farm views with minimal human creative input.

Global Phenomenon

While India's "Bandar Apna Dost" leads in total views, Spain's trending AI channels have accumulated the most subscribers at 20.22 million combined, and South Korea's channels have generated 8.45 billion views. The U.S.-based channel "Cuentos Facinantes," featuring low-quality Dragon Ball-themed content, has the highest individual subscriber count at 5.95 million.

YouTube has attempted to address the surge in AI-generated content. In July 2025, the platform updated its monetisation policies to better identify "inauthentic content," though the company maintains that AI-assisted videos can still be monetised if they demonstrate originality and human creative input. "Generative AI is a tool, and like any tool, it can be used to make both high- and low-quality content," a YouTube spokesperson told The Guardian, adding that all videos must comply with community guidelines.

Despite these policies, channels like "Bandar Apna Dost" continue to generate substantial revenue, though such content is technically ineligible for direct YouTube monetisation under existing rules. Experts suggest alternative revenue streams, including brand deals and third-party promotions, may account for the estimated earnings.