MrBeast removes AI thumbnail generator tool: ‘I definitely missed the mark…'

Time of India

11 hours ago

MrBeast
has removed an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered thumbnail generator from his analytics platform, Viewstats, after facing significant criticism from fellow creators who alleged the tool 'steals' their work.
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The world's most-subscribed YouTuber, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, launched the tool with the stated intention 'to help smaller creators make better thumbnails.' However, he later admitted on X that he had 'missed the mark' after other high-profile YouTubers voiced strong opposition.
'A week ago, I launched AI thumbnail tool to help small creators make better thumbnails, and I thought people were going to be pretty excited about it.
But, I definitely missed the mark,' said MrBeast, who has over 385 million subscribers.
'If you open up Twitter, you know what I'm talking about, and I read all your guys's feedback, and I've been thinking a lot about it, and so we just enacted some changes that I think you guys will find positive, and so going forward, there is no AI thumbnail tool,' he added.
Fellow YouTubers allege that MrBeast's AI tool 'steals' work
One vocal critic, PointCrow (Eric Morino), accused MrBeast of creating 'something that can steal..
. hard work without a thought,' suggesting the AI model was 'clearly trained on all our thumbnails and uses them without any creator's permission.'
While acknowledging the positive intent of making content creation more accessible, Morino argued the tool 'fundamentally hurts creators as a whole', as per BBC.
MrBeast quickly acknowledged the feedback, expressing his commitment to the YouTube community. "I care more than any of you could ever imagine about the YouTube community," he posted on X.
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'Obviously I'm the biggest YouTuber in the world and I don't take that responsibility lightly and so it deeply makes me sad when I do something that people in the community are upset by,' he added.
He confirmed the tool's removal from Viewstats and announced it would be replaced with links to human artists available for commission, aiming to support the very community he sought to help.
'My goal here is to build tools to help creators, and if creators don't want the tools, no worries.
Like, it's not that big of a deal. So, if you're an artist, go over to Viewstats. And, make some extra money,' he said.
The tool, advertised for an $80 monthly subscription, allowed users to insert themselves into existing thumbnails and even recreate the work of other creators.