Recently, content creators have voiced their concerns. Their videos on YouTube look vastly different from what they initially published. The platform is experimenting with an unprecedented treatment for certain Shorts without consulting the creators. The outcome is clips that appear strangely artificial. Here’s a closer look.
Retouched Videos Without Creator Notification
YouTube is currently testing a new image processing system aimed at enhancing the visual quality of short videos. The issue here is that these changes are made without the creators’ knowledge, leading to shocking discoveries that their videos no longer reflect their original intent.
This process, which is currently limited to Shorts, the platform’s vertical videos, further blurs the line between real clips and artificial content. Many users claim that their modified videos look like they were generated by artificial intelligence.
A Visual “Improvement” That Distorts Content
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 is always… https://t.co/vrojrRGwNw— YouTube Liaison (@YouTubeInsider) August 20, 2025
On X (formerly Twitter), the official YouTube Liaison account clarified that this isn’t about generative AI or upscaling, but rather “traditional machine learning”, akin to the methods used by smartphones to enhance videos during recording.
The goal is theoretically to increase clarity and reduce noise or blur. However, in practice, the results are far from convincing, with visible distortion, overly smoothed appearances, and an overall aesthetic reminiscent of AI-generated clips.
An Audience Conditioned to AI Aesthetics?
For creators, this situation is challenging. Their content is altered without their consent, potentially harming their relationship with their audience. This risk is particularly high for those who openly criticize the use of AI in content creation.
Some go further, viewing this as a deliberate strategy by YouTube: to gradually acclimatize the audience to this “AI aesthetic”, laying the groundwork for a significant influx of automatically generated content. The timing coincides with the platform’s recent introduction of tools that allow for the creation of Shorts using artificial intelligence.
The question remains: is YouTube genuinely enhancing the user experience, or is it unknowingly redefining how we perceive online videos? What are your thoughts?
Additionally, here’s how a war between artificial intelligence and humanity will conclude.
