Key points
- Tool allowed recreating thumbnails for $80 monthly fee
- MrBeast promises to support human artists instead
- Creator faces mounting scrutiny over recent controversies
ISLAMABAD: MrBeast, the world’s most-subscribed YouTuber, has removed an artificial intelligence (AI) thumbnail generator following criticism from fellow content creators.
The YouTuber, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, introduced the tool last week with the aim of helping smaller creators produce more effective video thumbnails, according to the BBC.
However, he admitted he had “missed the mark” after prominent YouTubers such as PointCrow and Jacksepticeye accused the tool of effectively “stealing” others’ work.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), MrBeast said he had taken the decision to withdraw the tool from his analytics platform, Viewstats. In its place, he will now feature links to human artists available for commissions.
Hey! Thanks for all your feedback on the ViewStats AI thumbnail tool, we pulled it and added a funnel for creators to find real thumbnail artists to commission pic.twitter.com/ICrB8NFyuC
— MrBeast (@MrBeast) June 27, 2025
AI-driven tool
Upon its release, MrBeast had expressed optimism that the AI-driven tool—marketed as removing the “guesswork” from designing compelling thumbnails—would be well received.
Priced at $80 (£58) per month, the tool allowed users to insert themselves into existing thumbnails and replicate styles used by other creators, reports the BBC.
Thumbnails play a crucial role in attracting viewers on YouTube, and the use of generative AI (GenAI) to design them has sparked broader debates.
GenAI tools are trained on vast datasets, often pulled from existing content, to generate new images based on prompts. Some AI companies are currently facing legal action over allegations of copyright infringement.
Harming creators?
Eric Morino, known online as PointCrow, accused MrBeast’s tool of enabling people to copy other creators’ hard-earned work without permission, claiming the AI had clearly been trained on existing YouTube thumbnails.
While he acknowledged the intention behind the tool—to make content creation more accessible—he argued it ultimately harmed the creator community.
Responding to the criticism, MrBeast stated: “I care more than any of you could ever imagine about the YouTube community. I’m the biggest YouTuber in the world, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly. It saddens me when something I do upsets people in the community.”
Aim behind Viewstats
He explained that the aim behind Viewstats was to develop helpful tools for creators, but added: “If creators don’t want the tools, no worries.”
With over 385 million subscribers, MrBeast is widely considered the platform’s highest-earning creator. He has also branched out into various business ventures, including the Amazon series Beast Games, where 1,000 contestants competed in challenges for a $5 million (£3.9 million) prize.
The show has faced legal scrutiny, with some participants alleging they were “exploited” during filming—a claim MrBeast dismissed as “blown out of proportion”.
Additionally, in May, the Mexican government accused him of “exploiting” the Mayan pyramids for a video, and in April, he issued an apology after fans reported a “horrible” experience at a Las Vegas event held in his name.
