Popular Dutch YouTuber Kwebbelkop (real name Jordi van den Bussche), once one of the most consistent gaming creators with over 15 million subscribers, has officially announced he's returning as the live host of his main channel. In a post on X dated February 7, 2026, he declared:
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> “I’m working on re launching my kwebbelkop YouTube channel
> I’m returning as the host, no ai kwebbelkop.
> I’m bringing the best people in the creator industry together
> I’m giving them the best tools
> I’m empowering their creativity
> And I’m giving them as much money as possible.
> …
> 2026 is the year Kwebbelkop returns.”
The announcement marks a full-circle moment after years of experimentation with AI-generated content that dramatically altered — and largely stalled — his channel's momentum.
The AI Era: Bold Experiment, Harsh Backlash
Kwebbelkop first made headlines in 2023 when he began replacing himself with an AI avatar (initially cartoon-style, later a more realistic "Kwebbelkop 2.0" model) to produce videos. His goal: scale content creation, avoid burnout, and build a "digital legacy" that could run indefinitely without his direct involvement.
The experiment included:
- Fully AI-generated scripts, voice, animation, and editing;
- Daily uploads on the main channel and a dedicated Kwebbelkop AI side channel;
- Claims that AI could handle everything from gaming commentary to reactions.
However, the pivot backfired spectacularly with his audience:
- Views dropped dramatically — often by a factor of 10 or more compared to his peak years (when he regularly hit 100M+ monthly views with friends like Jelly and Slogo).
- Comments sections filled with disappointment, accusations of "soulless" content, and mockery.
- Many longtime fans felt betrayed by the shift away from the authentic, energetic personality that built the channel.
Despite the criticism, Kwebbelkop doubled down for a while. Even into late 2025, he continued posting AI-generated Sora videos on Instagram and promoting AI tools. But activity tapered off, and the main channel stagnated.
The Comeback: Returning to Roots with a New Team
Now, in early 2026, Kwebbelkop is flipping the script. He's not just stepping back in front of the camera — he's assembling a high-caliber human team of creators, editors, and collaborators.
His focus:
- Empowering real creativity with top tools and generous budgets;
- Producing what he calls "some of the best videos I’ve ever worked on";
- Reconnecting with his original audience through authentic, live-hosted content.
Channel updates already reflect the change: "No more AI on this channel. We will only be posting real videos over here, mainly together with my (new) best friends Crainer and Jelly!"
AI content, if any, will reportedly move to a separate outlet.
What It Says About AI Replacing Creators
Kwebbelkop's journey is a real-time case study in the ongoing debate: **Can AI truly replace human creators and creative teams?**
His experience suggests not yet — at least not without massive audience pushback.
While AI tools excel at scale, speed, and consistency, they still struggle to replicate:
- Genuine personality and emotional connection;
- Spontaneity and relatability that build loyal communities;
- The "human spark" fans crave in entertainment.
The experiment proved AI can generate content at volume, but it couldn't sustain engagement or loyalty when the human element disappeared. Views collapsed, morale tanked, and the brand suffered.
Kwebbelkop himself seems to have learned the lesson. By returning as the live host and investing in a real team, he's betting that human creativity + modern tools is the winning formula — not full replacement.
We'll be watching closely. 2026 could be the year Kwebbelkop rebounds, or it could highlight how hard it is to recapture an audience once lost. Either way, his story remains one of the clearest real-world tests of AI's limits in content creation so far.
Stay tuned — the comeback arc is just beginning.
Also read:
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- AI Frontier Explodes: Quasa's Top-5 Highlights — Claude 4.6, GPT-5.3-Codex, Kling 3.0 & More
- YouTube Shorts Gets Its Cameo Moment: Google Lets Creators Generate AI Avatars of Themselves
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