YouTube has announced a major update to its partner program with regard to AI-generated content deemed inauthentic. In summary, YouTube is targeting low-effort, repetitive, and mass-produced content on its platform starting July 15. Content that falls within the description will no longer be eligible for monetization.
“Of course, there has been a lot of misinformation circulating online about YouTube’s crackdown on low-quality content generated with AI.” And that is to state clearly that YouTube is not completely against the use of artificial intelligence for video creation.
However, YouTube is saying that AI-generated videos that add little or no value to their viewers, including templated videos with the absence of original input or minimal editing, will be affected.
YouTube Focus Areas and Content Under Scrutiny
In their recent update, YouTube stated:
“We regularly update and evolve our policies based on the content on YouTube, and this update is to clarify that this policy includes content that is mass-produced or repetitive, which is content viewers often consider spam.”
Source: YouTube Help Community
Examples of What Could Be Demonetized
- Repetitious Content: Re-uploading or recycling the same video with little to no changes repeatedly on the platform or across multiple channels.
- Unoriginal content: Videos or clips that are lifted from other creators or channels and repurposed to garner views without a personal touch or perspective.
- Templated Videos: Contents that follow a cookie-cutter format, typically bulk-produced in a fixed pattern: the same script, lacking visual styling with zero creative input. An example is “Top 10 Most Expensive Cars in the World,” with the same visuals, voice style, or music.
- Clickbait Videos: Clickbait videos are content that uses exaggerated or misleading titles and thumbnails to entice viewers and attract clicks. Such videos often use fake promises to deceive people into clicking just to gain views rather than delivering what the title suggests.
Channels Most Vulnerable to this Change
Faceless Copy-paste Channels
Channels that recycle public domain content or Creative Commons material with minimal effort or transformation.
Why They Are Affected:
- Under YouTube’s reuse policy, minimal or little transformation is a key trigger for demonetization.
AI Generated Video Channels
Channels that rely heavily on AI tools to create content with no form of human input or originality, automated storytelling with robotic voices, motivational speeches with text-to-speech voices, or automated news narration with human commentary.
Why They Are Affected:
- YouTube targets AI-mass-produced videos with low effort that flood the platform without a unique touch or input from the creator.
Reaction Videos
Videos that feature reactions without meaningful commentary or personal thought to back up or elaborate on any viewpoint.
How to Stay Compliant and Monetizable
- Audit Your Existing Videos: If you have a lot of videos with templated formats, revisit them and consider updating or removing them.
- Avoid repetition: Steer clear of using the same format repeatedly without introducing variations. Innovate and enhance your strategy to distinguish yourself.
- Focus on quality content: Prioritize creating high-quality videos instead of overwhelming your channel with low-depth content.
- Don’t completely rely on AI: Use AI to come up with ideas like topics, thumbnails, or keyword research, but let your originality shine through. Always remember to be unique, even as you educate or inform your viewers.