YouTube CEO Neil Mohan speaks during a panel discussion at the Democracy Summit in Washington, DC on March 30, 2023.
Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images
YouTube CEO Neil Mohan said reducing “AI slop” and detecting deepfakes is a priority for YouTube. googleIn 2026 – a video site owned by.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult to tell what is real and what is generated by AI,” Mohan said in his annual letter published Wednesday. “This is especially important when it comes to deepfakes.”
As artificial intelligence permeates every aspect of technology, Google is investing heavily in building infrastructure to support new and growing workloads, while also enhancing its Gemini model and adding AI capabilities to its portfolio of business and consumer products.
But YouTube, one of the leading sources of user-generated content on the internet, is dealing with an explosion in the number of videos created by AI. The term AI slop refers to the large amount of low-quality AI content that appears across social media platforms. In addition to YouTube, other companies include: meta TikTok uses an AI-powered recommendation system to show you personalized videos designed to keep you interested over time.
Mohan said the world is at a “tipping point” and “the lines between creativity and technology are blurring.”
“To reduce the spread of low-quality AI content, we are actively building on established systems that combat spam and clickbait and have great success in reducing the spread of low-quality, repetitive content,” Mohan wrote.
He said YouTube clearly labels videos created by AI products and requires creators to disclose whether they have created altered content. The company’s system also removes “harmful synthetic media” that violates guidelines, Mohan wrote.
For YouTube to grow among users, creators, and advertisers, it’s important that we remain a desirable platform for all involved.
In December, YouTube announced that it would expand its “similarity detection” feature, which alerts users when a creator’s face is used in a deepfake without their permission. This feature is rolling out to millions of creators in the YouTube Partner Program.
Mohan’s letter said the company uses AI as a tool “not a replacement,” adding that an average of more than 1 million YouTube channels used the company’s artificial intelligence creation technology every day in December.
He said the company is expanding the ways creators can leverage AI, including with Shorts, YouTube’s short video service that competes with TikTok and Instagram Reels.
“This year, you’ll be able to create short videos using your likeness, create games using simple text prompts, and experiment with music,” he wrote.
Describing creators as “new stars and studios,” Mohan said YouTube’s creators are “purchasing studio-sized properties in Hollywood and beyond to explore new formats and produce beautifully produced, must-see television.” The company also hopes to offer creators new ways to earn money, “from shopping and brand deals to fan funding features like Jewels and Gifts.”
Another priority, Mohan said, is to make YouTube “the best place for kids and teens,” and this year the company plans to make it easier for parents to set up new child accounts and easily switch between them.
YouTube announced in September that it has paid out more than $100 billion to creators, artists, and media companies since 2021. Earlier this year, analysts at MoffettNathanson estimated that YouTube would be worth between $475 billion and $550 billion if it were an independent business.
WATCH: How Neel Mohan is leading YouTube by putting creators first
