YouTube has introduced a new feature that lets creators decide how third-party companies can use their content for AI training. Announced on Monday, the move comes amid growing complaints from creators about AI models being trained on their material without consent or compensation.
Through a new option within YouTube Studio, creators and rights holders can now permit specific third-party companies to train AI models using their videos. This setting includes a list of 18 companies initially chosen for their focus on generative AI development. The list features prominent names such as Adobe, OpenAI, Microsoft, Apple, Anthropic, Meta, Nvidia, and others. Creators can also opt to allow all third-party companies access to their content or leave the default setting, which blocks any such use.
Eligible creators, primarily those with administrator roles in YouTube Studio Content Manager, can adjust these permissions at any time under their channel settings. YouTube will notify creators about the new feature via banners on both desktop and mobile platforms in the coming days.
The move reflects YouTube’s ongoing response to concerns about AI-driven tools like OpenAI’s Sora, which generate video content. Earlier this fall, YouTube had promised to give creators more control amid frustrations over AI companies using creator content without authorization. The company clarified that its new settings apply only to third-party usage. Google itself will continue training its AI models on some YouTube content under its existing agreements with creators.
While YouTube’s Terms of Service already prohibit unauthorized access, such as scraping, the update makes creators’ preferences clearer to third parties. However, it remains unclear if this setting will have any retroactive impact on AI models already trained using creators’ content.
This update follows YouTube’s September announcement of AI detection tools designed to combat misuse of creators’ likenesses. The tools, an expansion of the Content ID system, aim to prevent unauthorized copying of voices and faces in videos.
YouTube views this new feature as a first step toward enabling creators to benefit from AI training partnerships. The next step could involve offering authorized companies direct access to video downloads, potentially opening doors to compensation opportunities for creators.
Featured Image courtesy of LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images
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