YouTube has unveiled significant changes to its content and revenue policies that will directly affect creators utilizing automation processes. Beginning July 15, channels with AI-generated YouTube videos considered “repetitive” or “machine-produced” can be removed, demonetized, or face the opportunity for penalties.
This is according to TechCrunch regarding this update in policy. YouTube is taking action against what it calls “AI slop,” which refers to machine-generated content that is low effort, low value, and lacks originality. These fast and frequent uploads take away from the value added to the platform and inundate the platform with nonsense, and YouTube wants to put an end to this!
Why the Policy Exists: The AI Slop Problem
AI tools like ChatGPT, Pictory, and Synthesia have made it easy for content creators to scale and produce video content, but YouTube is now experiencing a surge of cloned, templated content! Creators are able to automatically upload dozens of videos that are all the same structure, script, and visuals.
This is the point of the YouTube monetization update. According to Business Today, “YouTube will now review channels as a whole and revoke monetization when the channel is completely unoriginal. Meaning that it may not violate any specific policy, and the content may not be from a direct source.”
What Makes AI-Generated YouTube Videos “Repetitive”?
Here is what YouTube is probably looking for:
- Very similar scripts for videos or a similar format
- Auto-narrated videos with no editing or context
- Stock footage without personalization
- Video spam frequency with minimal differences
According to YouTube’s Help Center, that would be considered “spammy behavior,” even if the content is technically new!
Content creators who are making this style of AI-generated YouTube videos will be the most affected by problematic actions.
YouTube Monetization Update: What Changed?
The recent YouTube monetization update allows YouTube to have even more capacity to demonetize creators for repetitive behavior. Rather than copyright or community violations, it’s about content quality, content frequency, and content intent.
Even if the content you use is legal and/or licensed, there could be circumstances where your channel would be removed as a partner for uploading content with the characteristics of mass production.
In short, AI-generated YouTube videos (still) do not fall under IP infringement. If there is no original voice, original story, or original editing, then your advertisement revenue is at risk.
Watch: YouTube’s Community Guidelines Explained in 1 Minute
Safe Ways to Use AI Without Getting Flagged
You don’t have to abandon your AI production flow. Just use it smarter. Here’s how:
- Add personal insights, storytelling, or context.
- Change your script format and visuals.
- Use AI for drafts or outlines, not fully produced videos.
- Don’t post the same video style 10 times a week.
- Ensure there is an actual purpose for each upload to the viewer.
Summary: AI can help you create, but it can’t replace your effort.
Also worth checking out: ChatGPT for Students’ new Study Together feature, a great example of AI enhancing collaboration, not replacing it.
Platforms Are Following YouTube’s Lead
Just days after YouTube’s announcement, Meta also stepped in. The company is now cracking down on unoriginal and spammy content on Facebook, especially posts that recycle AI-generated or templated formats without meaningful context. This signals a broader shift across major platforms toward prioritizing authenticity and value in AI-powered content.
As reported by TechCrunch, Meta’s move mirrors YouTube’s intent: reduce noise, elevate quality, and preserve trust across user feeds.
My Opinion on the New Policy
I think this is a needed update from YouTube, but it is a delicate line to walk. YouTube was being flooded with AI-based content that was all repetitive, low-effort content, which offered no value. That needed to change. However, the hard part is that plenty of small creators are using AI to save time, not to take shortcuts. If YouTube’s guidelines are unclear, it will affect even the most considerate creators. AI should be treated like a tool instead of a threat. The final product is what matters. If the video has value, is original, and adds value, it should stay regardless of how it was produced.
What Creators Should Take Away
This update isn’t a call to ban AI but a call to raise the bar. YouTube is demanding that the content be original, thought-provoking, and add value for viewers. And in a world of AI-generated YouTube videos, it is possible to have success, but you have to do it with the human factor behind it. If your channel contains templated scripts, robotic voiceovers/cut and paste animations, you risk losing your monetization not for not using AI, but for not adding anything valuable.
As a creator, this is your time to upgrade. Utilize AI to accelerate brainstorming and enhance editing skills, while maintaining your unique voice and exploring various formats. The future of content belongs to the creator who combines creativity with smart tools, not the person who offloads the effort. You do not need to stop using automation. You just need to care enough to make it yours.
In a digital world where Denmark aims at expanding digital rights and platforms are rethinking how content is rewarded, creators need to shift focus from volume to value. AI is a tool, not a shortcut. The future belongs to those who show up, not just upload.
