YouTube expands AI deepfake likeness detection to all adults

In short: YouTube is making its AI “likeness detection” tool available to any user age 18 or older, so more people can check for possible deepfakes that use their face.

What happened

YouTube said it is expanding its likeness detection program to all adult users with a YouTube account. The company previously tested it with creators, then widened access to groups like politicians, journalists, and people in entertainment.

The feature works by having a user do a selfie-style scan of their face. YouTube then looks across videos on the platform for faces that appear to match. If it finds a possible match, it alerts the user, and the user can ask YouTube to remove the video.

YouTube said in the past that the number of removal requests it receives through this program has been “very small.” The company also said users can leave the program and have YouTube delete their data.

Why it matters

Deepfakes are videos that make it look like someone did or said something they did not (like a convincing impersonation). Until now, tools to find these videos have mostly been aimed at public figures, but the same risk exists for everyday people, including cases involving teenagers. This update gives regular users a way to monitor YouTube for face-based copies of themselves, a bit like setting up an alert that tells you when your photo shows up somewhere new.

The tool is not a full solution. It only checks facial likeness, not other details like a person’s voice. YouTube says removal requests are reviewed under its privacy policy, and some videos may stay up if they are clearly labeled as AI-made or are considered parody or satire.

Source: The Verge AI