YouTube Shorts users may soon encounter AI-generated versions of their preferred creators as they scroll through their feeds. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan revealed on Wednesday that creators will soon have the option to produce Shorts utilizing their own likeness.
“This year you’ll be able to create a Short using your own likeness, produce
games
with a simple text prompt, and experiment with music,” Mohan stated in his annual letter. “Throughout this evolution, AI will remain a tool for expression, not a replacement.”
Shorts, which Mohan reported now garners an average of 200 billion daily views, stands as one of YouTube’s most prevalent formats. The company continues to invest in Shorts to maintain its audience engagement. While YouTube did not provide further specifics on these likeness features, this new functionality will complement the platform’s existing AI tools for Shorts, which include the capacity to generate AI clips, AI stickers, AI auto-dubbing, and more.
YouTube will also furnish creators with updated tools to govern the utilization of their likeness in AI-generated material, as per Mohan.
Although YouTube will permit creators to feature their own likeness in their videos, the Google-owned platform recently rolled out technology designed to prevent unauthorized use by others. Last October, YouTube introduced likeness-detection technology to eligible creators, enabling them to identify AI-generated content that features their likeness, such as their face and voice. Creators can then initiate requests for the removal of such AI-generated content.
Similar to other social media platforms, YouTube has encountered issues with the proliferation of low-quality AI content. Mohan asserts that the company is striving to uphold a superior viewing experience.
“Over the past 20 years, we’ve learned not to impose any preconceived notions on the creator ecosystem,” Mohan wrote. “Today, once-odd trends like ASMR and watching other people play video games are mainstream hits. But with this openness comes a responsibility to maintain the high quality viewing experience that people want. To reduce the spread of low quality AI content, we’re actively building on our established systems that have been very successful in combatting spam and clickbait, and reducing the spread of low quality, repetitive content.”
YouTube is also poised to expand Shorts with novel formats, including image posts, a feature already popular on TikTok and Instagram Reels.