YouTube is putting AI labels where you’ll actually see them

YouTube just made a long-overdue change to how it handles AI-generated content. Instead of hiding disclosure labels in video descriptions where nobody looks, the platform is now putting them front and center.

The new label shows "AI" next to an information icon and sits directly below the video player, right above the description. For Shorts, you'll see it in an equally visible spot. This applies to both long-form videos and short-form content.

The bigger shift is that YouTube will start automatically identifying and labeling AI-generated content, not just relying on creators to self-report. This comes as Google announced broader AI verification efforts at its recent I/O conference.

Why this matters: If you're creating content with AI tools or consuming AI-generated videos, transparency just got a lot better. No more hunting through collapsed descriptions to figure out what you're watching. This also sets a precedent for how platforms should handle AI disclosure as synthetic content becomes more common.

For creators using AI in their workflow, this means you'll want to stay on top of YouTube's detection systems. The platform is clearly moving toward making AI usage visible by default, not optional fine print.