YouTube is strengthening its approach toward AI-generated content by introducing automatic labeling for videos created or significantly altered using artificial intelligence. The platform announced that its internal detection systems will now automatically apply labels when it identifies “significant photorealistic AI” in videos.
The company is also making AI labels more visible across both long-form videos and YouTube Shorts to help users more easily identify AI-generated or AI-altered content.
YouTube first introduced AI labeling tools more than 2 years ago after updating its AI content policies. The platform required creators to disclose when videos contained AI-generated content that could be mistaken for real people, places, or events. However, clearly fictional or animated content, such as fantasy-style creations, did not require labeling.
While YouTube says its core AI labeling policy remains unchanged, the company will now play a more active role in identifying and labeling AI-generated content. The move follows Google’s recent launch of Gemini Omni, a family of multimodal AI models capable of generating highly realistic videos with advanced understanding of physics, science, history, and culture.
Starting in May, YouTube began using new internal detection signals to identify AI-generated content automatically. Creators are still expected to disclose AI usage themselves, but if they fail to do so, YouTube will apply labels independently.
The company also confirmed that videos created using YouTube’s own AI tools, including Veo and Dream Screen, will retain permanent AI labels that creators cannot remove. Additionally, videos carrying C2PA metadata, which verifies fully AI-generated content, will automatically receive labels.
The rollout comes shortly after YouTube expanded its AI deepfake detection capabilities, allowing users to scan the platform for face matches involving AI-generated or manipulated content.
Under the updated system, labels for long-form videos will appear directly below the video player, while YouTube Shorts will display labels directly on the content itself. Less realistic or lightly altered AI content will continue showing labels only in the expanded description section.
YouTube clarified that AI labels will not affect video recommendations or monetization eligibility.
Alongside its moderation efforts, the company continues investing heavily in AI-powered features, including Ask YouTube, AI-generated playlists for YouTube Music, video summaries, and generative AI creation tools.
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