YouTube expands AI labels to more visible locations
▼ Summary
– YouTube is moving AI labels on Shorts and long-form videos to make them easier to spot.
– The updated label says “AI” next to an information symbol and appears below the video player.
– YouTube will also start automatically identifying and labeling AI-generated content on the platform.
– Previously, AI disclosure information was hidden in the video description and required expanding to view.
– The changes follow Google’s expansion of its AI verification efforts announced at I/O.
Following Google’s broader push for AI transparency at this year’s I/O conference, YouTube is finally stepping up its game. The platform has announced it will move AI disclosures on both Shorts and long-form videos to far more visible locations, making them significantly harder to miss. Additionally, YouTube will now begin automatically identifying and labeling AI-generated content across the platform, rather than relying solely on creators to self-report.
For standard YouTube videos, the updated label , which now clearly displays the word “AI” alongside a familiar information icon , will sit directly beneath the video player, just above the description. Previously, this disclosure was buried within the video itself and only accessible by expanding the description and checking the details. That hidden placement made it easy for viewers to overlook entirely. The new positioning ensures the label is one of the first things audiences see, reinforcing a commitment to clearer content provenance.
The change marks a notable shift in how YouTube handles synthetic media. By moving from optional, hard-to-find labels to prominent, platform-enforced markers, the company is responding to growing concerns around deepfakes, manipulated media, and misleading AI-generated content. This automatic detection and labeling system will help viewers quickly distinguish between authentic uploads and material produced or altered by artificial intelligence, a distinction that grows more critical as generative tools become ubiquitous.
(Source: The Verge)
