New YouTube tools protect creators from fake AI-generated audio and video

Looking to prevent YouTube users from getting tricked into believing that AI-generated content is real, Google and YouTube are developing tools that would allow content creators to quickly get alerted when their faces and voices are being used by AI. Amjad Hanif, Vice President of Creator Products at YouTube, just wrote about the new tools that YouTube will be using to protect its creators.

The technology inside YouTube’s Content ID will allow the streamer’s partners to detect and manage AI content that simulates their singing voices. This feature could be in use as soon as early next year. In addition, other technology being developed will allow people in various positions (such as actors, athletes, creators, and musicians) to find and manage AI-generated content that falsely shows their faces on the streaming platform. 

YouTube’s Hanif said, “Together with our recent privacy updates, this will create a robust set of tools to manage how AI is used to depict people on YouTube.” The tools will help detect when fake AI-generated voices are coming from the fake AI-created likenesses of musicians. A pilot program will start next year.

The aforementioned Content ID has been used by YouTube creators to help them find content that includes their intellectual property. Back in 2016, Mashable reported that the tool allowed rights holders to collect $2 billion in residuals earned between 2007-2016 that they might not otherwise have received.

Hanif notes that content loaded onto YouTube is used to “improve the product experience for creators and viewers across YouTube and Google, including through machine learning and AI applications.” He adds that “Moving forward, we remain committed to ensuring that YouTube content used across Google or YouTube for the development of our AI-powered tools is done responsibly.”

He also states, “As AI evolves, we believe it should enhance human creativity, not replace it. We’re committed to working with our partners to ensure future advancements amplify their voices, and we’ll continue to develop guardrails to address concerns and achieve our common goals. Since our earliest days, we’ve focused on empowering creators and businesses to build thriving communities on YouTube, and our focus remains on fostering an environment where responsible innovation flourishes.”