Famous YouTuber MrBeast has decided to shut down his controversial AI-driven thumbnail generator after facing a storm of criticism from fellow creators. He also took a stand against an AI company that used his name to promote a similar tool with a discount code.
Back in late June, MrBeast’s Viewstats platform rolled out the generative AI thumbnail feature as part of an $80/month subscription aimed at helping creators “grow YouTube channels.” The tool allowed users to pick any YouTube channel as “inspiration” and generate similar thumbnails, even giving them the option to slap their face over someone else’s. Its promotional materials showcased logos of popular creators without their consent.
The backlash was immediate and intense. Well-known YouTuber JackSepticEye was among those outraged, stating: “What the actual??… and he used my logo in the promotion for it too. I hate what this platform is turning into. Fk AI.” Many critics labeled the tool exploitative, unethical, and likened it to “cheating.
MrBeast himself acknowledged the controversy in the launch video, admitting the generator “literally feels like cheating,” which quickly created a divide in the creator community—some defended AI as merely a tool, while others condemned it as theft.
On June 27, after a week of backlash, MrBeast announced that the tool would be completely scrapped. He explained that he intended to “help small creators make better thumbnails” but admitted he had “missed the mark.” In response to the criticism, Viewstats replaced the generator with a directory of thumbnail artists available for hire. “My goal is to build tools to help creators,” he clarified. “If creators don’t want the tools, no worries, it’s not that big a deal.”
But the drama didn’t stop there. An AI company called 1of10 began promoting its thumbnail generator using “MRBEAST” as a discount code, which led Donaldson to respond on X. “That’s rude. So I’ll reply to boost this d*ckhead to my audience. Everyone who got mad at me for having an AI thumbnail tool, why don’t you go after 1of10 for this?”