Mrbeast said he pulled an AI tool to make thumbnails of YouTube videos he provided through his ViewStats Pro service for creators after a backlash over their potential impact on working artists.
Along with users of tools such as ChatGpt, Gemini and Grok, creative livelihoods are under pressure from the rapid advances in AI technology and the widespread adoption.
YouTubers use thumbnail artwork to seduce people to click on the video and watch it. It provides stable work to many artists, but generative AI eats their committee. However, AI offers smaller YouTubers a lower cost option of artwork.
“I thought people would be pretty excited about it, but I definitely missed the mark,” real name Jimmy Donaldson, Mrbeast, said in a video posted to social media about the AI thumbnail tool.
Mrbeast runs one of the world's largest YouTube channels and has over 400 million subscribers.
Anthony Behar/Sipa USA) (SIPA via AP
MrBeast: It's deeply sad to disrupt the YouTube community
Now he said that AI tools have been replaced by things that direct people into a portfolio of real thumbnail artists, so they can be commissioned instead.
“Turn this negative situation into something positive that will help artists increase their income doing what they love,” Mrbeast said.
“I care more than I can imagine about the YouTube community,” Mrbeast said. He is the world's largest YouTuber and “I won't lighten that responsibility.”
“When I know that people in my community are upset, it makes me deeply sad,” he said.
“With ViewStats, my goal here is to build tools to help creators, and if creators don't want the tools, then there's no need to worry. That's not a big deal.
“I want to put it there too. I guarantee you, I spent more money on thumbnail artists than any other YouTuber in the world. I probably spent more money on thumbnail artists than I did with the top 100 creators.
“I have a small army of thumbnail artists who work for me. I'm trying to hire more thumbnail artists.”
Hey! Thank you for all the feedback on ViewStats ai thumbnail tool, we pulled it and added a funnel for creators to find real thumbnail artists pic.twitter.com/icrb8nfyuc
– Mrbeast (@mrbeast) June 27, 2025
Creators respond to Mrbeast AI's decisions
Creator Dylan Madden said “I respect” in a response to Mrbeast's video about X. “Most of the people who have an opinion don't actually participate in the game.”
Madden said he would maintain his ability to hire AI tools and artists as options.
However, Ross O'Donovan, Ross O'Donovan, an animator and streamer who has gone through Rubberross, welcomed Mrbeast's decision, saying, “Looking this objectively, I understand that being the biggest creator on the platform allows us to unintentionally set precedents that could impact the entire industry.”
“Both from the animation scene, I can now tell you that the wider industry is in a devastating place where so many projects have killed and countless people have lost their jobs.”
“Think of the Yaidenaimation of your friend who has been an incredibly financial stability source for so many creatives for a long time and won your big creator video last year.
“Think about how important that entry from that small is for the next generation of creators. I think you recognize the responsibility to support the wider community right now. Good luck.”
