Anil Joseph, a creator who built his YouTube and Instagram channels entirely on AI-generated content, watches with a keen eye as YouTube’s new restrictions on artificial intelligence in content creation come into force.
Ask him if he is worried about whether his content will come under the scanner (since it is 100 per cent AI), he would say, “not really” as the restrictions would only affect fast-generated content without any thought.
But others who are using AI in some way or the other are at a loss as to what will happen. Animated discussions are happening on social media platforms such as Reddit, with users asking doubts and posting commentaries on the likely impact of YouTube’s new curbs on AI usage in content development come. The new guidelines came into force on Tuesday.
Those watching the space expect content creators to flock to alternative platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok (currently banned in India), where such restrictions don’t exist yet.
Some, however, feel that YouTube may not opt for a large-scale axing by pushing them out of its monetization program, fearing an exodus.
“Most AI-generated content, including that with AI voiceovers, is here to stay. Their enforcement is to demonetise, not to delete. Meaning, the content will still exist on the platform. They are not getting rid of AI content, they are trying to target mass-generated low-quality content channels,” a Reddit user said.
YouTube, an arm of Google, asserts that this initiative aims to monitor ‘AI Slop,’ which refers to a deluge of low-quality, repetitive, and unoriginal AI-generated content. It, however, will continue to allow a fair use of AI that adds value to the original content. The creators will have to flag the use of AI while uploading their videos and images. The idea is to keep the AI-based content farms out of its monetisation programme.
Asked whether YouTube’s move could lead to the mass exit of creators from the platform, Satyadev Chada Krishna, Founder of Infinitum Network Solutions, felt that it might not happen immediately.
“Not immediately, but as YouTube continues to hold out, other platforms could be used by AI creators to find alternate ways of monetisation,” he said.
“As of now, Pinterest and Facebook have already seen a deluge of AI-generated images and are expected to be swamped over the next two to three quarters,” he said.
Anil, however, feels that YouTube may not go for any move that could make creators flock to other platforms. “I think they just take out bulk-created content using AI,” he said.
Social media influencer Manjula Kalanidhi, who started the rice-bucket challenge a few years ago, said that YouTube’s loss could be the other platforms’ gain. “Other platforms are encouraging their creators to use AI,” she said.
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Published on July 15, 2025