YouTube has rolled out a new feature that lets users create an AI avatar resembling themselves. First announced earlier this year, these avatars are designed for use in Shorts, allowing creators to insert themselves into video content in a way that YouTube ensures is safe and secure.
YouTube seems to be fighting the spread of AI-generated content and deepfakes by adding more and more AI features to its platform. This latest addition is framed as a tool that gives creators more control over their digital identities. Any video made using an avatar will include YouTube’s AI disclosure, visible watermarks, and labels like SynthID and C2PA.
YouTube has published a detailed guide on how to create and use an avatar in either the YouTube or YouTube Create app. Here’s a quick summary for using the main YouTube app: Once you open AI Playground, you’ll take a “live selfie” that also records your voice. You can then preview your realistic virtual self and either accept it or redo the process if you’re not happy. Creating an avatar in the YouTube Create app is quite similar, but you first need to go to the My Avatar homepage.
YouTube suggests holding your phone at eye level and keeping yourself centered as much as possible. Good lighting is also important, as is making sure your whole face is visible, you’re in a quiet area, and no one else is in the background. You also must be the account owner and over 18 to create an avatar.
Once you have an avatar you like, you simply type in a prompt and wait for the AI to generate a video. According to 9to5Google, these videos can be up to eight seconds long. Alternatively, YouTube will also let you add an avatar to existing “eligible” Shorts by tapping “Remix” and then “Reimagine” with your avatar selected.
You can delete or retake your avatars whenever you want, as well as any video containing your avatar. You can also control who can remix your videos. However, deleting a video with your avatar in it will not delete the original video or that avatar from your account. YouTube will automatically delete any avatar that hasn’t been used to create new video content for three years.
