YouTube introduced an updated eraser tool on July 4, Thursday, that enables creators to remove copyrighted music from their videos while preserving other audio elements like dialogue and sound effects. This update aims to simplify the process for creators dealing with copyright claims.
YouTube’s chief, Neal Mohan, announced the tool on X, and according to a video released by the company, the eraser tool had been in testing phases but lacked precision in earlier versions. The new tool leverages an AI-powered algorithm to accurately detect and remove copyrighted songs without affecting the rest of the audio in a clip.
However, YouTube’s support page cautions that the algorithm may not always perfectly isolate and remove the song.
“This edit might not work if the song is hard to remove. If this tool doesn’t successfully remove the claim on a video, you can try other editing options, such as muting all sound in the claimed segments or trimming out the claimed segments,” the company stated.
As another option, creators have the option to select “Mute all sound in the claimed segments,” which silences portions of the video containing copyrighted material. Once the edits are made successfully, YouTube’s Content ID system, which identifies the use of copyrighted content in clips, will remove the claim.
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