YouTube to Allow Creators to Use AI Avatars for Shorts Production

YouTube Shorts viewers may soon encounter AI versions of their favorite creators while browsing their feeds. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced on Wednesday that creators will soon be able to use their own AI personas to produce Shorts.

"This year, you will be able to create Shorts using your own AI persona, generate games through simple text prompts, and experiment with music creation," Mohan wrote in his annual letter. "Throughout this evolution, AI will always serve as a tool for expression, not a replacement."

Mohan stated that Shorts now averages 200 billion daily views, making it one of YouTube's most popular formats. The company continues to invest in Shorts to maintain its audience. While YouTube hasn't shared further details about these AI personas, this new feature will join the platform's existing suite of Shorts AI tools, which includes AI-generated clips, AI stickers, and AI auto-dubbing.

According to Mohan, YouTube will also provide creators with new tools to manage how their AI personas are used in generated content.

While YouTube will permit creators to feature their own AI personas in videos, the Google-owned platform recently introduced technology to prevent others from misusing their likeness. Last October, YouTube launched persona detection technology for eligible creators, enabling them to identify AI-generated content featuring their likeness, such as their face and voice. Creators can then request the removal of this AI-generated material.

Like other social platforms, YouTube is grappling with a flood of AI content. Mohan indicated the company is working to uphold a high-quality viewing experience.

"Over the past 20 years, we've learned not to impose preconceived notions on the creator ecosystem," Mohan wrote. "Today, trends that once seemed niche, like ASMR and watching others play video games, have become mainstream hits. But this openness also carries the responsibility of maintaining the high-quality viewing experience people expect. To curb the spread of low-quality AI content, we are actively building upon the systems we've successfully used to combat spam and clickbait, aiming to reduce the proliferation of low-quality, repetitive content."

YouTube also plans to expand Shorts with new formats, including image posts, which have gained popularity on TikTok and Instagram Reels.