If you're concerned whether that cool new video that's trending was made with "altered or synthetic media, including generative AI," then you're in luck.

Google's YouTube just announced a new tool that video creators must use to disclose that fact under certain circumstances. When they do, a little label will appear on the video when you watch it, letting us all breathe a little more easily.

The disclosure is required only when the content isn't clearly unrealistic, animated, has special effects, or only uses AI behind the scenes for production assistance.

YouTube won't require creators to disclose content that is clearly unrealistic, animated, includes special effects, or has used generative AI for production assistance. But it must be disclosed when using the likeness of a real person, like when you replace the face of someone with someone else's. Any altered footage of real events or places must also be disclosed, as does video that shows realistic scenes, like a tornado moving toward a real town, for example.

"We also won’t require creators to disclose when synthetic media is unrealistic and/or the changes are inconsequential," wrote the company in their blog post.

So, in addition to clearly unrealistic content (like animation or fantastical scenes), things like color adjustment or lighting filters, beauty filters, or special effects like background blur created with AI tools don't need to be disclosed.

For most videos, a simple label will show up in the description, but for videos that touch on content like health, news, elections, or finance, YouTube will "also show a more prominent label on the video itself."

YouTube is also working on a new process that lets you request the removal of AI-made videos that simulate specific people, including their faces or voices.

Lifewire