YouTube is making new tools to protect creators from AI copycats

YouTube is developing new tools that aim to give creators on the platform more control over content that copies their voice or likeness using generative AI. In its announcement post, YouTube said the new likeness management tech will help to safeguard its creators and partners while enabling them to “harness AI’s creative potential” by promoting responsible AI development.

The first tool, described as a “synthetic-singing identification technology,” will allow artists and creators to automatically detect and manage YouTube content that simulates their singing voices using generative AI. YouTube says the tool sits within its existing Content ID copyright identification system and that it’s planning to test it under a pilot program next year.

The announcement follows YouTube’s pledge last November to give music labels a way to take down AI clones of musicians. The rapid improvement and accessibility of generative AI music tools have sparked fears among artists regarding their use in plagiarism, copycatting, and copyright infringement. In an open letter earlier this year, over 200 artists, including Billie Eilish, Pearl Jam, and Katy Perry, described unauthorized AI-generated mimicry as an “assault on human creativity” and demanded greater responsibility around its development to protect the livelihoods of performers.

A separate tool is also in the works that can identify facial deepfakes of creators, actors, musicians, and athletes on the platform. The system is still in active development, and YouTube hasn’t indicated when it’s expected to roll out.

YouTube is also pledging to crack down on anyone scraping the platform to build AI tools. “We’ve been clear that accessing creator content in unauthorized ways violates our Terms of Service,” the platform said — which hasn’t prevented companies like OpenAI, Apple, Anthropic, Nvidia, Salesforce, and Runway AI from training their AI systems on thousands of scraped YouTube videos. The protections against this activity include blocking scrapers from accessing YouTube and investments in scraping detection systems.

“As AI evolves, we believe it should enhance human creativity, not replace it,” YouTube said in its announcement. “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.”

YouTube also says it’s developing ways to give creators more choices regarding how third-party AI companies are permitted to use their content on the platform and will share further details later this year.