YouTube Shorts are being altered by AI, platform calls it a ‘machine learning experiment’

New Delhi: Several YouTubers have raised concerns that their Shorts videos are being modified by artificial intelligence (AI) without their approval, sparking a debate over transparency on the platform.

The creators claim that their videos appear retouched, with visible changes to facial features, clothing, and overall sharpness, even though they never applied such effects themselves.

In response, YouTube acknowledged the changes but clarified that they are part of an ongoing test using “traditional machine learning technology,” not generative AI. The company said the goal is to enhance video clarity by unblurring and denoising footage during processing, much like modern smartphones do when recording video.

The issue came into the spotlight after creator Rhett Shull, in a video first spotted by the BBC, compared one of his uploads on YouTube with the same video posted on Instagram. He noted that the YouTube Shorts version appeared “smoothened,” describing it as if “an oil painting effect was added to his face.”

A Reddit post from June 27 also flagged similar changes, with users claiming YouTube Shorts were “almost certainly being AI upscaled.” The poster shared screenshots highlighting details such as smoother skin, sleeker hair, and erased wrinkles on shirts. Some creators described the practice as “deceptive and malicious,” pointing out that YouTube had not informed them about the experiment.

Rene Ritchie, YouTube’s head of editorial and creator liaison, later clarified the company’s stance on X (formerly Twitter): “No GenAI, no upscaling. We're running an experiment on select YouTube Shorts that uses traditional machine learning technology to unblur, denoise, and improve clarity in videos during processing (similar to what a modern smartphone does when you record a video).”

However, many users argued that the distinction between “machine learning” and “AI” was misleading.

Responding to this criticism, Ritchie explained that generative AI typically involves large language models or transformer-based technologies, while upscaling refers to improving lower-resolution content. “This isn't using GenAI or doing any upscaling,” he said.

Still, Shull expressed frustration at the lack of transparency. “I did not consent to this,” he said. *“The most important thing I have as a YouTube creator is that you trust what I'm making, what I'm saying, and what I'm doing is truly me. Replacing or enhancing my work with some AI upscaling system not only erodes that trust with the audience, but it also erodes my trust in YouTube.”