Introduction to AI-Generated Movie Trailers
YouTube has been dealing with a new type of spam: AI-generated movie trailers. These trailers, made using generative AI, have been popping up on the platform, often masquerading as real movie trailers. According to Deadline, YouTube has terminated two popular channels, Screen Culture and KH Studio, for violating the platform’s spam and misleading-metadata policies.
The Rise of AI-Generated Content
The behavior of these creators ran afoul of YouTube’s policies, but at the same time, Google is embracing generative AI. YouTube has added more ways for creators to use generative AI, and the company says more gen AI tools are coming in the future. It’s a tightrope for Google to walk, as it tries to balance the benefits of AI-generated content with the need to prevent spam and misinformation.
The Impact of Recent Changes
While passing off AI videos as authentic movie trailers is definitely spammy conduct, recent changes to the legal landscape could be a factor, too. Disney recently entered into a partnership with OpenAI, bringing its massive library of characters to the company’s Sora AI video app. At the same time, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google demanding the removal of Disney content from Google AI. The letter specifically cited AI content on YouTube as a concern.
The Use of Disney Properties
Both the banned trailer channels made heavy use of Disney properties, sometimes even incorporating snippets of real trailers. For example, Screen Culture created 23 AI trailers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, some of which outranked the official trailer in searches. It’s unclear if either account used Google’s Veo models to create the trailers, but Google’s AI will recreate Disney characters without issue.
Other Channels at Risk
While Screen Culture and KH Studio were the largest purveyors of AI movie trailers, they are far from alone. There are others with five and six-digit subscriber counts, some of which include disclosures about fan-made content. Is that enough to save them from the ban hammer? Many YouTube viewers probably hope not.
Conclusion
The rise of AI-generated movie trailers on YouTube raises important questions about the use of generative AI on the platform. While Google is embracing AI, it must also balance the need to prevent spam and misinformation. As the use of AI-generated content continues to grow, it will be interesting to see how YouTube navigates these challenges.
FAQs
- Q: What type of content were the banned channels creating?
A: The banned channels, Screen Culture and KH Studio, were creating AI-generated movie trailers. - Q: Why were the channels banned?
A: The channels were banned for violating YouTube’s spam and misleading-metadata policies. - Q: Is Disney involved in the controversy?
A: Yes, Disney recently sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google demanding the removal of Disney content from Google AI, citing AI content on YouTube as a concern. - Q: Are other channels at risk of being banned?
A: Yes, there are other channels creating AI-generated movie trailers, and it’s unclear if they will be banned or not.
