YouTube Unveils Stricter Guidelines and Labels for AI-Generated Content

YouTube is gearing up to implement new guidelines and labels targeting content generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI). In a recent blog post, Jennifer Flannery O’Connor and Emily Moxley, vice presidents of YouTube Product Management, shed light on the platform’s response to AI-generated or altered content. The responsibility falls on content creators to voluntarily identify such content, but viewers will also receive notifications when they are viewing content that has been manipulated.

Content creators on YouTube will soon be required to disclose the use of AI tools and the creation of “altered or synthetic content that is realistic.” In the coming months, creators will have new options to tag their uploads explicitly as containing realistic altered or synthetic material. Failure to disclose this information may result in suspension from the YouTube Partner Program or other unspecified penalties.

YouTube is also introducing new labels for viewers. The first label will be added to the description panel, notifying viewers that the content has been altered or is synthetic. Additionally, a second label will be prominently displayed in the video player, especially for content addressing sensitive topics such as elections or public health crises.

Addressing another concern of digitally-generated content featuring the face or voice of individuals without permission, YouTube is implementing a process to request the removal of AI-generated or altered content through its privacy request system. This process will also apply to AI-generated music that mimics an artist.

In a move to enhance engagement, YouTube recently introduced new AI features for Premium subscribers. These include a chatbot capable of answering questions about a video without interrupting playback and a summary of user comments categorized into “easily digestible themes.” The question arises whether such a chatbot could potentially provide insights into which parts of a video are synthetic and explain their creation process in the future.