YouTube's new AI disclosure YouTube YouTube is making a major change to its user interface to make it clear when a video has used artificial intelligence tools in its creation, particularly for photorealistic or “meaningfully altered” content.
The Google-owned video platform said Wednesday that it will move its “AI” label from video descriptions to more prominent locations on both desktop and mobile, for long-form videos and Shorts.
In long-form videos, the disclosure will now appear above the description and directly below the video player, and on mobile, it will be an overlay on the video itself.
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In a video explaining the move, YouTube’s creator liaison, Rene Ritchie, said the goal is “to make them even more intuitive for everyone.”
“The goal here is context at a glance. If it looks real but was made with AI, viewers will know immediately,” Ritchie added. “This is purely about giving viewers the right information at the right time.”
YouTube has had a rule requiring the disclosure of AI-generated content since 2024. That requirement is still in place, but it will now be complemented by an automated AI-detection system that will flag a video if it believes it contains photorealistic AI content.
“While you’re still required to manually disclose realistic AI use, starting this May, YouTube is rolling out internal signals to help if YouTube systems detect significant photorealistic AI. And if it hasn’t been disclosed, we’ll now apply that label automatically,” Ritchie says. “If you think that the system has gotten it wrong, don’t worry, creators are still in control. As this technology continues to improve, if a label is applied incorrectly, you can jump into Studio and update the status yourself.
“The only exceptions where the label does stay permanent are if you used YouTube’s own AI tools, like Veo or Dream Screen, or if the file contains metadata proving it’s fully generative,” he added. “Most importantly, for creators, these labels alone do not affect how our videos are recommended or whether they can earn money.”
YouTube, of course, has been aggressive in pursuing opportunities around AI, even as it proactively tries to curtail some of the risks associated with the technology. It has developed deepfake-detection tech, which is now available to users of the platform over 18 (though it will primarily be of use to Hollywood celebrities, political figures and other public figures).
“If you think about public figures, famous figures, your image and your reputation are paramount to your livelihood,” YouTube chief business officer Mary Ellen Coe told The Hollywood Reporter last month. “And the idea that that could be corrupted in some manner is really an important concept, because there have been instances of this that I think people have talked about; it’s really important that they can have a semblance of control and ability to manage that.”
And earlier this month, the platform announced a slew of AI tools, including the ability to “remix” Shorts from YouTube creators, or to digitally insert yourself into their videos, as well as an AI-powered search function.
You can watch Ritchie’s video below, and read the blog post about the changes here.
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