According to a recent report from The Atlantic, YouTube has begun experimenting with subtle changes on specific user-uploaded videos without informing creators.
Visual Alterations
Multiple YouTube users have noticed that some of their Shorts appear visually altered, displaying images that are sharper or clearer than those they originally uploaded. They assert that the changes were made without any direct edits from their end.
When contacted by The Atlantic, YouTube spokesperson Allison Toh confirmed the platform is running a test on select Shorts, applying “image enhancement technology to sharpen content.”She emphasized that these updates rely on “traditional machine learning” rather than generative AI to reduce blur, eliminate noise, and enhance clarity.
Creators have expressed concern about YouTube’s lack of transparency, despite the changes being described as a non-AI enhancement experiment. At this time, it is not clear whether the visual changes are visible to all users or only to a small A/B test group. The specific technologies being utilized, or whether creators can opt out, were not made public by the company.
Tools for animating still photos and applying AI-powered effects, such as underwater movement or twin duplication, have been made available on YouTube. Some people think that the timing of the improvements is part of a bigger plan to make synthetic aesthetics more common on the platform.
“They’re training us, the audience, to get used to the AI look and eventually view it as normal,” one YouTube commenter said.
YouTube is not the only company looking into ways to integrate AI into its ecosystem. Meta has also launched an “AI Studio” tool that encourages users to create and publish chatbot personalities on Facebook and Instagram. Meta has stressed that it expects AI to one day work alongside humans on its platforms.
For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.