YouTube this month will roll out an update aimed at identifying mass-produced or repetitive content that is not considered authentic under the terms of its YouTube Partner Program, as per its support page.
While AI was not explicitly mentioned, many YouTube creators and content makers speculated the update would apply to low-quality Generative AI videos created with very little effort. These are often uploaded to YouTube in large numbers to make quick money, rather than to thoughtfully build a creative brand and audience over time.
“In order to monetize as part of the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), YouTube has always required creators to upload “original” and “authentic” content. On July 15, 2025, YouTube is updating our guidelines to better identify mass-produced and repetitious content. This update better reflects what “inauthentic” content looks like today,” said the Google-owned video platform in a new announcement regarding the YouTube Partner Program.
YouTube Liaison and YouTuber Rene Ritchie further explained the update and how it might affect creators or channel owners, but clarified the update was not a major change for most.
“This is a minor update to YouTube’s long-standing YPP policies to help better identify when content is mass-produced or repetitive. This type of content has already been ineligible for monetisation for years and is content viewers often consider spam. That’s it. That’s all,” he said.
The proliferation of low-cost Generative AI video generators has led to a surge in synthetic videos that can make it more challenging for human creatives to earn money from videos that require more time, effort, and funds to produce.
