YouTube moves AI labels to more visible spots on videos and Shorts

In short: YouTube is making AI labels easier to see and says it will start automatically identifying and labeling some AI-generated videos.

What happened

YouTube announced changes to how it shows “AI” disclosures, which are notes that tell viewers when a video was made or changed using AI (software that can generate or edit images, video, or sound).

On regular YouTube videos, the “AI” label will move to a more visible place. It will appear directly below the video player and above the description. Before this change, the information could be hidden unless you opened the description and looked for a section called “How this content was made.”

On YouTube Shorts, the same “AI” label will appear as an overlay on the video itself. That means it will show on top of the video while you are watching, like a sticker that stays on screen.

YouTube also said it will be more proactive about automatically identifying and labeling AI-generated content. The Verge reports this includes a focus on “photorealistic” AI videos, which are AI-made clips that can look like real camera footage.

Why it matters

As AI-made videos get easier to create, it can be hard to tell what is real and what is synthetic. More visible labels can help viewers make quicker decisions about what they are watching, especially in fast-scrolling formats like Shorts. It is similar to food packaging that puts key information on the front, so you do not have to dig for the fine print.

Source: The Verge AI