YouTube announced today that it will require content creators to label AI-generated content that people could mistake for being real.
A new tool will appear in Creator Studio requiring video makers to disclose when realistic-looking content appears in their video that was generated with artificial intelligence (AI).
The video platform, which is owned by Google, wants content that a viewer could “easily mistake for a real person, place, or event” to have a label that will appear in the expanded description or on the front of the video player.
AI-Generated Content That Needs Labeling on YouTube
Using the likeness of a realistic person: Digitally altering content to replace the face of one individual with another’s or synthetically generating a person’s voice to narrate a video.
Altering footage of real events or places: Such as making it appear as if a real building caught fire, or altering a real cityscape to make it appear different than in reality.
Generating realistic scenes: Showing a realistic depiction of fictional major events, like a tornado moving toward a real town.
Not All AI-Generated Content Needs to Be Labeled on YouTube
However, YouTube doesn’t need creators to label every piece of AI-generated content. Footage that is clearly unrealistic, or animations; including special effects, doesn’t need to have the AI tag.
For example, a person riding a unicorn through a fantastical world does not need to be labeled. Neither does a background that is abstract or there for visual enhancement only.
“The new label is meant to strengthen transparency with viewers and build trust between creators and their audience,” adds YouTube on its blog.
“Of course, we recognize that creators use generative AI in a variety of ways throughout the creation process. We won’t require creators to disclose if generative AI was used for productivity, like generating scripts, content ideas, or automatic captions. We also won’t require creators to disclose when synthetic media is unrealistic and/or the changes are inconsequential.”
YouTube will begin to roll out the labels in the weeks ahead and notes that the company may add a label to a video even when the creator hasn’t disclosed it.
The announcement comes as AI video generators are hotting up with the anticipated release of OpenAI’s Sora coming in the next few months.
Google is also a steering committee member of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA).
For more information on this topic and a longer list of examples, head to YouTube’s Help page on altered and synthetic content.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.