YouTube introducing major AI-based age verification feature

(Web Desk): YouTube is rolling out a significant change that younger users might not be too happy about.

The platform is introducing a new feature based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to verify users’ ages. This new system will launch on August 13 and will use AI to estimate a user’s age.

According to the company, the aim of this system is to provide a safer and more age-appropriate experience for users.

In a blog post, YouTube stated that in the coming weeks, it will begin using machine learning technology to estimate the age of a limited number of users in the United States. Based on this, users will be treated according to their actual age — children as minors and adults as adults.

YouTube added that the results from this limited trial will help determine whether to roll out the technology on a larger scale.

The company believes that this technology can accurately determine a user’s age — even if the birth date listed on the account is incorrect — to ensure an experience tailored to their age group.

This change is expected to expand to other countries in the future.

The AI system will assess various factors to estimate a user’s age, such as the types of videos they search for, the categories of content they watch, or the age of the account itself — i.e., how long it has been active.

If the AI determines that a user is a minor, age-related restrictions will be automatically applied to their account.

However, if users believe the system has incorrectly estimated their age, they will be able to verify they are over 18 by providing a government-issued ID or a credit card.