YouTube has clarified its policy on AI-generated content within the YouTube Partner Program, confirming it will not ban AI videos outright but will restrict certain types from monetisation. Matt Halprin, the platform's VP of Trust & Safety, explained in an interview that YouTube remains "agnostic" about which tools creators use, but is tightening rules around what it now calls "inauthentic content" rather than "repetitious content" to stress that creativity and effort still matter, even when AI is involved. The move comes as AI-generated videos, or "slop", proliferate on the platform, with public sentiment towards AI remaining largely negative.

Three categories of AI content will be excluded from monetisation: generic, repetitive content resembling content farming; distressing or off-putting material such as animals in peril; and "AI personas" offering advice on serious topics like finance. These monetisation rules are separate from YouTube's broader community guidelines. The article notes AI content is booming, with a Guardian report finding around one in ten of YouTube's fastest-growing channels are AI-focused, while a Fortune poll found only 26% of people view AI positively. It also offers tips for spotting AI-generated videos, including checking video length, unusual quality levels, and telltale visual inconsistencies.