YouTube to label videos that contain AI-generated content

To maintain a healthy ecosystem of information, YouTube plans to introduce updates over the coming months. The company announced in an official blog that these updates will require creators to disclose when their content is synthetic or altered. This disclosure will apply especially to sensitive topics like elections or public health crises. Creators who fail to disclose may face penalties.

To ensure transparency, YouTube will label videos containing synthetic or altered content. In some cases, such content may be removed if it violates guidelines, especially if it features realistic violence.

“We’ll inform viewers that content may be altered or synthetic in two ways. A new label will be added to the description panel indicating that some of the content was altered or synthetic. And for certain types of content about sensitive topics, we’ll apply a more prominent label to the video player.”

Furthermore, YouTube is introducing new options for creators, viewers, and artists to request the removal of AI-generated or synthetic content that impersonates identifiable individuals or mimics an artist's voice.

“So in the coming months, we’ll make it possible to request the removal of AI-generated or other synthetic or altered content that simulates an identifiable individual, including their face or voice, using our privacy request process. Not all content will be removed from YouTube, and we’ll consider a variety of factors when evaluating these requests. This could include whether the content is parody or satire, whether the person making the request can be uniquely identified, or whether it features a public official or well-known individual, in which case there may be a higher bar,” reads the blog post.

The platform is also introducing the ability for its music partners to request the removal of AI-generated music content that mimics an artist’s unique singing or rapping voice.

“In determining whether to grant a removal request, we’ll consider factors such as whether content is the subject of news reporting, analysis or critique of the synthetic vocals. These removal requests will be available to labels or distributors who represent artists participating in YouTube’s early AI music experiments,” said YouTube.

AI technology is also being utilised to enhance content moderation efforts, allowing quicker identification of harmful content.