YouTube is reportedly developing multiple tools to protect creators from AI deepfakes. In a blog post on Sept. 5, the company said that it has developed a new “likeness management technology” to “safeguard” creators from AI emulations. This includes the unwanted use of creators’ faces and voices.
The first of these tools is “synthetic singing identification technology,” which will allow creators to identify AI-generated content that imitates their voice. This tool, YouTube added, will sit within YouTube’s Content ID system. A pilot program is due to begin early next year.
The second tool, which YouTube says it is “actively developing,” involves new technology that will help creators find, identify, and deal with AI-generated content featuring their likenesses. However, a release date for this tool has not been specified.
How else is YouTube protecting creators from deepfakes?
In the blog post, YouTube also claimed it wants to stop third parties from scraping YouTube videos to build AI tools. The company is doing this with the help of “ongoing investments in the systems that detect and prevent unauthorized access, up to and including blocking access from those who scrape.”
This news comes shortly after an April 2024 New York Times investigation revealed that OpenAI, Meta, and YouTube’s parent company, Google, built AI tools using scraped data from the web. Specifically, sources accused these companies of breaking YouTube’s terms of service by using transcriptions of YouTube videos to train AI.
In August 2024, a YouTuber named David Millette also filed a class action lawsuit against Open AI. He alleged that the company has been training its models on YouTube transcripts without notifying creators.
“We believe AI should enhance human creativity, not replace it,” YouTube said. “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.”
Further reading:
- YouTube Is Refining Its Algorithm to Protect Teen Users
- Creator Investment Company Spotter Releases AI Tool to Generate YouTube Video Ideas
- YouTube Channels Now Have Their Own QR Codes
- Slashing the Rules: How YouTube Sensation ‘Milk & Serial’ is Redefining the Film Industry
- How to Avoid Copyright Claims On YouTube, From Strikes to Claims
