YouTube admits to altering Shorts with AI without telling creators or asking permission.

What’s been happening on YouTube Shorts?

YouTube has secretly been editing some Shorts with AI, and creators weren’t told about it. The undisclosed changes have been spotted by June, with creators noticing: artificially smooth skin, clothes wrinkles looking exaggerated, and even facial features appearing distorted. For example, music commentator Rick Beato noticed that his hair looked “strange” and his face looked as if he was wearing makeup.

Now, YouTube’s head of editorial and creator liaison Rene Ritchie has confirmed that YouTube had been testing new processing techniques to a limited number of Shorts uploads. 

Why this matters for creators

The edits may seem subtle, but they’ve hit a nerve. For creators, the issue isn’t just about bad editing, it’s about content control. Rhett Shull, another music YouTuber, said he was frustrated because the alterations made his content look AI-generated. In his words: if he wanted “terrible over-sharpening,” he would’ve added it himself.

The bigger concern is trust. When YouTube changes how someone looks or how their work appears, Shull is worried that it risks damaging the bond between creators and their audiences. In a space where authenticity is everything, even a small AI tweak can feel like a big deal for creators.

YouTube’s explanation

YouTube compared the changes to the way modern smartphones enhance photos automatically. It distanced itself from generative AI, by calling it “traditional machine learning”. In other words, it’s just tweaking what’s already there as opposed to creating entirely new content.

Still, critics argue that this wording simply downplays the problem. Whether or not it’s generative AI, it’s still using AI to edit creators’ content without even being told or asking permission.

The bigger picture

This experiment fits into a larger trend, whereby AI is quietly shaping the media we consume before it ever reaches us. While some creators are less bothered by YouTube’s antics (including Rick Beato who claims YouTube changed his life), some are left wondering what else is happening to their content behind the scenes.

So far, YouTube hasn’t said whether creators will be able to opt out of these AI edits in the future. If YouTube keeps altering content without asking, it will only raise more questions of trust, control, and authenticity between YouTube, creators, and their audiences.

(Edit: YouTube has now confirmed they’re working on an opt-out for the feature)

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