Today, YouTube announced a way for creators to self-label when their videos contain AI-generated or synthetic material.
Technology
YouTube adds new AI-generated content labeling tool
YouTube previously said it would require creators to disclose AI-generated material in 2024. The labels will require creators to be honest about synthetic content.
The checkbox appears in the uploading and posting process, and creators are required to disclose âaltered or syntheticâ content that seems realistic. That includes things like making a real person say or do something they didnât; altering footage of real events and places; or showing a ârealistic-looking sceneâ that didnât actually happen. Some examples YouTube offers are showing a fake tornado moving toward a real town or using deepfake voices to have a real person narrate a video.
On the other hand, disclosures wonât be required for things like beauty filters, special effects like background blur, and âclearly unrealistic contentâ like animation.
In November, YouTube detailed its AI-generated content policy, essentially creating two tiers of rules: strict rules that protect music labels and artists and looser guidelines for everyone else. Deepfake music, like Drake singing Ice Spice or rapping a song written by someone else, can be taken down by an artistâs label if they donât like it. As part of these rules, YouTube said creators would be required to disclose AI-generated material but hadnât outlined how exactly they would do it until now. And if youâre an average person being deepfaked on YouTube, it could be much harder to get that pulled â youâd have to fill out a privacy request form that the company would review. YouTube didnât offer much about this process in todayâs update, saying it is âcontinuing to work towards an updated privacy process.â
Like other platforms that have introduced AI content labels, the YouTube feature relies on the honor system â creators have to be honest about whatâs appearing in their videos. YouTube spokesperson Jack Malon previously told The Verge that the company was âinvesting in the toolsâ to detect AI-generated content, though AI detection software is historically highly inaccurate.
In its blog post today, YouTube says it may add an AI disclosure to videos even if the uploader hasnât done so themselves, âespecially if the altered or synthetic content has the potential to confuse or mislead people.â More prominent labels will also appear on the video itself for sensitive topics like health, election, and finance.