YouTube Just Declared War on Lazy AI Content

By now, we’re sure many of you have come across content on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube that appears to be mass-produced. This is thanks to the emergence of AI tools that allow creators to throw together videos with little to no effort in a bid to monetize their content. Well, YouTube is cracking down on it.

YouTube’s crackdown on mass-produced content

YouTube recently published an updated policy regarding monetization for its YouTube Partner Program. It basically says that it will start looking for videos that are mass-produced or repetitive. YouTube says it doesn’t want mass-produced content on its platform and prefers “original” and “authentic” content.

According to YouTube, “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.”

If you’re a content creator who already puts out original and authentic work, this has little to no bearing on you. However, content creators who rely on AI to generate generic content will have to be careful. There is a chance that if you are caught violating these policies, you could be removed from the YouTube Partner Program.

The rise in AI content

In the past, stitching a video together required a fair bit of effort. Unless you download someone else’s video and upload it as your own. However, thanks to AI tools, many are turning to YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram to post their faceless AI content. This usually involves splicing scenes from various movies or from videos of other creators. Then, they throw in some captions and add a voice-over generated with AI, and they’re done.

In fact, there are subreddits where many users discuss the earnings potential for faceless videos, sharing tips and strategies. Granted, not everyone necessarily wants to appear in front of a camera, and that’s fine. However, using AI to generate generic content or trying to profit off the work of someone else, we think that’s a huge no-no.

YouTube hasn’t gone into details on how it will enforce its new policy. However, content creators should get more guidance in the coming weeks.