In a modern age where artificial intelligence has already become unavoidable, YouTube is adding two new updates to its video content in order to be as transparent as possible when it comes to AI.
According to a Wednesday blog post, the disclosure labels for “photorealistic and meaningfully AI altered or generated content” will now be displayed more prominently — directly below the video player for long-form videos and as an overlay on shorts.
“By moving these labels on to the main stage, viewers get the context they need at a glance. This is now the single label format for all photorealistic and meaningfully AI altered or generated content on YouTube,” the team noted. “For content that is unrealistic, animated or slightly altered, viewers can find this disclosure in the expanded description.”
Also starting this month, YouTube will be rolling out automatic AI detection.
“If a creator doesn’t specify whether or not they used AI, but our systems detect significant photorealistic AI use, we will now automatically apply a label,” YouTube explained. “As this technology continues to improve, creators remain in control. If a creator thinks their content was incorrectly identified as AI-generated, they can update the disclosure status in YouTube Studio.”
These updates come just a month after the company expanded its AI detection tool to celebrities and talent agencies following its launch in December 2024.
“These changes are designed to balance transparency with creator control. It’s important to note that a disclosure label alone does not change how a video is recommended or whether it’s eligible to earn money,” the blog post concluded. “In a world where AI is changing what’s possible, our goal is simple: make it as easy as possible for creators and viewers to have the right information.”
