Attention YouTube Creators - It’s Time To Disclose AI-Generated 'Realistic' Content (Image: YouTube)

YouTube, the popular video streaming platform, has announced that content creators will now be required to disclose when realistic-looking videos were made using artificial intelligence (AI). The Google-owned platform has also unveiled a new tool in Creator Studio to address this matter.

YouTube”s new tool requires creators to reveal to viewers when realistic content is made with altered or synthetic media, including generative AI technology. Google is making this important move to provide more transparency regarding AI-created content that misleads viewers. Notably, this change also comes at a crucial time as several countries, including India and the United States, are heading towards elections.

In November 2023, YouTube announced that they will introduce updates that inform viewers when the content they are seeing is synthetic. The disclosures will appear as labels in the expanded description or on the front of the video player. According to the platform, the new label will build trust between creators and their audience.

“We’re not requiring creators to disclose content that is clearly unrealistic, animated, includes special effects, or has used generative AI for production assistance,” added YouTube in its blog post on March 18. YouTube also noted that creators are not required to disclose if AI was used for productivity, like content ideas, generating scripts, or automatic captions.

Creators are required to disclose when they are altering footage of real events or places or while using the likeness of a realistic person. YouTube announced that viewers will see the labels across all YouTube surfaces and formats in the weeks ahead. At the same time, the platform is also planning enforcement measures for creators who consistently choose not to disclose AI generated content.