Creators furious after YouTube admits to secretly enhancing their videos with AI

YouTube admitted this week that it has been using artificial intelligence (AI) to modify creator videos without permission, sparking widespread anger from content creators who discovered their work had been altered behind the scenes.

The Google-owned platform confirmed it ran an experiment on select YouTube Shorts videos. The AI processing aimed to reduce noise and sharpen clarity, but often created unnatural visual effects that made content appear artificially enhanced.

Popular YouTuber Rick Beato first noticed something wrong with his Pearl Jam interview clip. The 5-million-subscriber music channel owner said his face looked strange, “almost like I was wearing makeup.”

Complaints from creators began surfacing in June 2025. Many described their videos as having an “oil painting” effect with unnaturally smooth skin and oversharpened edges.

“Not only I think erodes that trust with the audience, but it also erodes my trust in the platform of YouTube,” said musician Rhett Shull, whose investigation video on the topic gained over 500,000 views. “If they’re going to roll this kind of thing out without my knowledge or permission, what else are they doing in the background with my content and with my data in order to optimize the platform or to increase safety?”

YouTube’s Creator Liaison, Rene Ritchie, defended the experiment. He claimed the company used “traditional machine learning technology to unblur, denoise, and improve clarity in videos during processing.”

The platform compared its AI processing to smartphone camera enhancements. Critics reject this comparison, noting phones apply filters before users see images, while YouTube alters already post-processed content after upload.

Mr. Bravo, who creates authentic 1980s-style videos, said the AI processing destroyed his intentionally grainy VHS aesthetic. “It is ridiculous that YouTube can add features like this that completely change the content,” he wrote on Reddit.

Creators worry that AI alterations damage their credibility, as audiences increasingly become suspicious of artificial content. Many pride themselves on avoiding AI tools, but viewers now question whether creators secretly use enhancement technology.

Samuel Woolley from the University of Pittsburgh called YouTube’s language misleading. “I think using the term ‘machine learning’ is an attempt to obscure the fact that they used AI because of concerns surrounding the technology,” he told the BBC.

Following public pressure, YouTube promised to build an opt-out mechanism for creators. The company has not disclosed the scope of the experiment or provided a timeline for creator controls.

The controversy highlights growing tension between platforms that seek uniform content quality and creators who demand control over their artistic vision.