Khaby Lame Sells His Company for $975 Million & Licenses AI Clone

On January 29, 2026, Khaby Lame — the Italian-Senegalese content creator known for his iconic “silent reaction” videos — made history again. This time not with a TikTok, but with one of the largest financial exits ever recorded by an individual social media personality.Khaby sold his entire media and brand company (Khaby Corp / KL Creative) for $975 million in cash and stock to a consortium led by a major private equity firm (rumored to include Blackstone and a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund). As part of the same transaction, he licensed a fully authorized AI clone of himself — trained on more than 12 years of video, voice, mannerisms, and comedic timing — for perpetual use in branded content, advertising, virtual appearances, and new formats.Deal BreakdownSale price: $975 million (mix of cash + equity in the acquiring entity) AI license: Perpetual, worldwide rights to the Khaby AI model; creator retains approval veto on “character-damaging” uses Post-sale role: Khaby remains a creative consultant and brand ambassador with a multi-year contract; no day-to-day operational duties Buyer’s plans: Scale Khaby’s brand into long-form content, gaming, virtual events, merchandise, and AI-generated shorts at massive volume Why This Deal Is HistoricLargest confirmed individual creator exit to date (surpassing MrBeast’s partial sales and other rumored deals) First major licensing of a full “digital twin” AI clone by a top-tier creator Validates the creator economy as big business — Khaby built the company from zero employees in 2020 to a 200+ person operation with revenue streams in ads, brand deals, merch, and licensing Fan & Industry ReactionsSupporters: “Smartest move ever — he cashed out at peak value and keeps control of his image.” Critics: “Selling your soul to AI? The end of authentic creators.” Tech circles: Massive interest in how the AI clone performs — early tests show it can generate new “Khaby reactions” in seconds that are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Khaby posted a short, signature-style video after the announcement: no words, just a slow head tilt and shrug — then a rare smile and thumbs-up. Caption: “Grazie mille ”At digital8hub.com, we follow creator economy trends, AI in entertainment, influencer business, digital media deals, and more. Want to explore AI clone ethics, how creators can negotiate similar exits, or the future of virtual influencers? Check our tech, business, and entertainment sections.Khaby Lame didn’t just sell a company — he sold a blueprint for the next era of creator wealth. The question now: who’s next?