Content creators are complaining on their channels about YouTube’s new shenanigan that is making their videos look upscaled by AI with facial features softened or blurred.
One user on X/Twitter shared, “YouTube is applying post-processing to all shorts so they look more like AI. This is intentional & malicious. Youtube appears to be using AI to “upscale” your content and generate “higher definition” videos on their platform.”
Another creator wrote, “Youtube has retroactively been applying shitty AI upscale/sharpening filters to my shorts. (Left = Tiktok/Right= YT).”
Yet another user also complained, “Just noticed that a client’s content that I edited is now AI-upscaled on YouTube, without their consent. Stop screwing with videos people upload without their consent.”
The changes are evident on some YouTube shorts uploaded by creators.
when their generative Al shorts feature launches users will be less likely to discern what’s Al-slop and what’s not, and the audience will think Al video is just as good pic.twitter.com/5KkzlUScdS
— pretend 𓅂 mirrors ♫ (@earthklaans) August 19, 2025
Hey @YouTubeInsider is this true? YouTube upscaling our shorts? If this isn’t true can you provide why it is misinformation? https://t.co/OnmxfhMPi3
— DeanoSauruz (@DeanoSauruz) August 20, 2025
The left images are my original upload on tiktok, and the right is youtube’s version of the SAME content. You can even see the ai errors pic.twitter.com/ZbyEXzX40q
— Kiwisagas Swamp Vtuber | Waitlist Open (@kiwisagas) August 22, 2025
It smears in motion, looks inconsistent, occasionally blurs/warps, and is not how I initially rendered it as. Others have reported the same issue. pic.twitter.com/19v0I9DqJl
— Sabuuchi (@Sabuuchi) August 24, 2025
Just noticed that a client’s content that I edited is now AI-upscaled on YouTube, without their consent. Stop screwing with videos people upload without their consent, @YouTube. PLEASE.
I edited the damn thing, YouTube. PLEASE don’t mess with it. STOP.
I’m so sorry, @Shooshies1 pic.twitter.com/iaaPF5wHuA
— ID-Ten – Tech Gremlin VTuber (@IDTen_T) August 25, 2025
YouTube is secretly “improving” videos by editing them with AI.
It’s “no GenAI, no upscaling” but an “experiment”: https://t.co/8BnFTD6oot
Video by @rhettshull featuring @rickbeato pic.twitter.com/0B4jexCy3x
— 80 LEVEL (@80Level) August 26, 2025
Responding to the user’s query on X/Twitter, Rene Ritchie, the head of editorial at YouTube Insider responded via the official channel
No GenAI, no upscaling. We’re running an experiment on select YouTube Shorts that uses traditional machine learning technology to unblur, denoise, and improve clarity in videos during processing (similar to what a modern smartphone does when you record a video).”
YouTube reiterated in its X/Twitter post,
YouTube is always working on ways to provide the best video quality and experience possible, and will continue to take creator and viewer feedback into consideration as we iterate and improve on these features.”
The company further added, “We hear you, and want to clear things up! This is from an experiment to improve video quality with traditional machine learning—not GenAI.”
YouTube is always… https://t.co/vrojrRGwNw
— YouTube Liaison (@YouTubeInsider) August 20, 2025
We hear you, and want to clear things up! This is from an experiment to improve video quality with traditional machine learning – not GenAI. More info from @YouTubeInsider here: https://t.co/wLMkt45KHj
— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) August 20, 2025
Reactions poured in with the Internet taking a jibe. One user remarked, “See this is that slippery slope everyone is talking about.” “Honestly this feels invasive,” wrote another user. A third user quipped, “Imo, all AI videos should be demonetized.” Yet another user commented, “YouTube going out of their way to be as scummy as possible to everyone.”
One netizen wrote, “Imagine this happening with your AI memory in ChatGPT or Grok. It’s the ultimate in gaslighting because they can change your memory without your knowledge and feed it into your AI chats.”
Another lamented, “Subconscious censorship.” “We are literally entering the matrix,” reminded one user as others rued over the “Slopification” of content.
YouTube if making their platform insufferable was a sport pic.twitter.com/hSkG1BJCAD
— Yoshima’s Memes (@OGYoshima) August 25, 2025
I don’t like what it’s doing to Pewdiepie’s face pic.twitter.com/50XIBX3LfB
— Forger (@Loomopolis) August 26, 2025
See this is that slippery slope everyone is talking about
— Kaida (@khaliltooshort) August 25, 2025
If I upload a video I dont want youtbe secretly deciding what my face should look like.
— अरहान | Arahaan (@arahaan40) August 25, 2025
Imo, all AI videos should be demonetized.
— 𝕾𝖊𝖗 𝕵𝖆𝖎𝖒𝖊 𝕷𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 (@asoiaf_266AC) August 25, 2025
YouTube going out of their way to be as scummy as possible to everyone.
— Gabriel Mican (@youwishmusic) August 25, 2025
Imagine this happening with your AI memory in ChatGPT or Grok. It’s the ultimate in gaslighting because they can change your memory without your knowledge and feed it into your AI chats. Subconscious censorship.
— Marks (@marks_ftw) August 26, 2025
We are literally entering the matrix
— Kobe Wan (@ogKOBEWAN) August 25, 2025
Slopification
— Rage Crusader (@RageCrusader) August 25, 2025
@benheck #youtube #terminator #movies pic.twitter.com/xD630FMUK2
— CircularTonic (@CircularTonic) August 26, 2025
See Also: YouTube turns 20: How one video at the zoo changed the internet forever
See Also: YouTube To Launch AI-Powered Age Estimation Tool To Better Protect Minors
Cover: Pexels
Great Job James Paul & the Team @ Mashable India tech Source link for sharing this story.
