For Jimmy ”MrBeast’ Donaldson, it feels like the controversy never stops. His latest drama? YouTube thumbnails. His overstimulating, bright, and exaggerated video thumbnails have become synonymous with the MrBeast brand, but now, it looks like Donaldson wants to share the love. How? With a new MrBeast AI thumbnail tool.
The tool, which was made in collaboration with analytics platform Viewstats, allows users to generate their own Beast-style YouTube thumbnails with the help of AI. However, given that this tool has the ability to switch styles and faces from existing thumbnails, fellow creators are speaking out.
Jacksepticeye, for instance, accused Donaldson of using his logo on thumbnails in his promotional posts. “I hate what this platform is turning into,” he wrote. “F**k AI.”
Elsewhere, creator PointCrow called out the monthly $79.99 price tag for the tool, writing: “What a piece of work.”
In response, Donaldson released a statement on X, where he stresses that the tool is designed to be “inspiration for artists/a tool they use and not replace them.”
He continued: “My goal with viewstats is to build tools to level the playing field between people like me with 300 employees and new creators that can’t afford a small army.”
Since the backlash, Fast Company reports that Donaldson has deleted promotional videos of the tool. Clearly, when it comes to designing thumbnails, a human touch is irreplaceable.
