YouTube Confirms It's Enhacing Videos Without Creators' Permission

YouTube is using AI to "improve" videos, according to editorial head Rene Ritchie. After months of complaints from creators who noticed unexpected changes to their videos' visual quality, Ritchie confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that the platform is using traditional machine learning to reduce blur and noise and sharpen images for better clarity. Still, some YouTubers are frustrated that the test has (until now, at least) been carried out quietly, and without an option to disable it.

The enhancements first gained attention when creators started to report odd distortions in their videos, like artificial smoothness, edge artifacts, and a processed look often compared to oversharpened smartphone photos. After noticing the changes, music YouTuber Rhett Shull investigated the matter and suggested his videos were upscaled, though YouTube insists the system does not technically count as upscaling.

Ritchie said the method is not based on generative AI but instead on more traditional ...