YouTube Suspected of Secretly AI-Upscaling Shorts
amsterdam, maandag, 18 augustus 2025.
YouTube is under fire due to suspicions that it is secretly applying AI filters to Shorts, which reduces the quality of videos. Creators have noticed an ‘oil painting’ effect, suggesting that AI upscaling is being applied without their consent. This has raised concerns about the trust between creators and their audience and sparked questions about the platform’s motivations.
YouTube Under Fire for AI-Upscaling
YouTube is under fire due to suspicions that it is secretly applying AI filters to Shorts, which reduces the quality of videos. Creators have noticed an ‘oil painting’ effect, suggesting that AI upscaling is being applied without their consent. This has raised concerns about the trust between creators and their audience and sparked questions about the platform’s motivations [1][2].
Creative Reactions and Discussions
After discussing this issue with well-known creators such as Rick Beato and the discussions on Reddit, it appears that some form of AI upscaling is indeed being applied. Creators like Rhett Hull have made videos demonstrating the differences between their videos on YouTube and Instagram, clearly highlighting the ‘oil painting’ effect [1][3].
Technical Background and Possible Motives
There are various theories about why YouTube might be doing this. One possible explanation is that AI upscaling is used to make the videos more compact, thereby reducing storage costs. YouTube has previously indicated that running the platform costs billions, and it is possible that they are looking for ways to reduce these costs [4][5].
Impact on Trust and Quality
For creators, the trust of their audience is crucial. Applying AI upscaling without consent can undermine this trust and affect the quality of their content. The ‘oil painting’ effect can lead to a less natural viewing experience, which could negatively impact engagement ratios and audience loyalty [1][2].
Reactions from the Public and Community
On social media and forums such as Reddit and Vi-Control, many users have reported noticing the same issues. There is even a Reddit thread where creators share their experiences and express concerns about the future of their content on the platform [2][3].
Ethical Considerations and Future Steps
The application of AI upscaling without explicit consent raises serious ethical questions. Creators have the right to know how their content is processed and treated. It is likely that pressure will be exerted on YouTube to provide more transparency and the option to disable this feature [1][2][3].