3 minute readMay 28, 2026 11:22am IST
YouTube announced a major update to how it handles AI-generated content, introducing automatic labels for videos that contain significant photorealistic AI elements, even if the creator didn’t manually publish them.
This new system is designed to improve transparency in synthetic media, as AI-generated videos become increasingly realistic and difficult to distinguish from real footage. YouTube says these labels will specifically target content that has been “meaningfully altered or generated” using artificial intelligence in a way that could mislead viewers.
Creators are still required to manually disclose if realistic AI tools are used in their videos. However, YouTube says it can now automatically identify certain forms of AI-generated content and apply its own labels if needed.
For long-form videos, the AI disclosure label appears just below the video player and above the description section. In YouTube Shorts, labels appear as an overlay on the video itself.
The platform clarified that the stricter labeling system will primarily apply to photorealistic AI content. Videos that feature clearly animated, unrealistic, or lightly edited material will continue to use the less obvious disclosure in the expanded description section.
YouTube also noted that some disclosures cannot be manually removed. Videos created using the company’s proprietary AI tools, such as Veo and Dream Screen, or videos that include C2PA metadata indicating fully generated AI content, will permanently retain the AI label.
If a creator believes their video was incorrectly flagged as AI-generated, they can request an adjustment through YouTube Studio.
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In addition to the AI transparency update, the streaming company is also rolling out a new personalized content feed system. This feature allows users to generate custom video feeds based on specific moods, interests, or topics by entering prompts that describe the type of content they want to see.
The personalized feed feature has been tested since late 2025 and is currently rolling out to signed-in users across YouTube’s mobile and desktop apps in the United States. Search history and viewing history must be enabled to use this feature.
The move reflects growing pressure on major platforms to improve disclosure standards regarding AI-generated media as synthetic video tools rapidly become more sophisticated and widely accessible.
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