YouTube has announced that it will soon require content creators to disclose when their videos are generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence. This decision, aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in digital content, reflects the growing influence and potential risks associated with AI technologies.
The new rule, detailed in a company blog post, stipulates that creators must add disclaimers to AI-generated or manipulated videos. This requirement is particularly stringent for content deemed sensitive, such as material related to elections or public health crises, where disclaimers will be more prominently displayed.
Non-compliance with YouTube’s new policy will carry significant consequences. Content creators who repeatedly fail to adhere to this rule may face content removal, account suspension, or even loss of access to advertising revenue. While the exact timeline for implementing these changes remains unclear, YouTube has expressed its commitment to eventually allowing requests for the removal of AI-generated content that simulates identifiable individuals, including their faces or voices.
The decision comes in response to continuous feedback from the YouTube community, including creators, viewers, and artists, about the potential impacts of emerging technologies. There is a particular concern about the unauthorized or misleading use of someone’s face or voice through digital generation.
YouTube is also addressing the growing trend of AI-generated songs that mimic the styles of famous musicians. The platform will allow musical artists and their representatives to request the takedown of AI-generated music content that imitates an artist’s unique singing or rapping voice. However, this option will initially be available only to labels or distributors representing artists participating in YouTube’s early AI music experiments, such as the “Music AI Incubator” project with Universal Music Group.
