YouTube Is Secretly Editing Your Shorts With AI
Published On: August 26, 2025
Something unusual has been happening on YouTube: creators are noticing subtle changes to their videos after upload. Skin appears smoother, shadows look sharper, and in some cases, faces seem artificially retouched. None of these adjustments were made by the creators themselves. Instead, YouTube has been running experiments that use artificial intelligence to “enhance” Shorts without telling users or asking permission.
Music YouTuber Rick Beato, who has more than five million subscribers, first noticed something was off when his hair and skin appeared different than usual. “The closer I looked it almost seemed like I was wearing makeup,” he said. His friend Rhett Shull reported similar issues, describing the tweaks as “terrible over-sharpening” that gave his content an AI-generated look. Both creators expressed concern that the changes could misrepresent them and erode trust with their audiences.
After weeks of speculation, YouTube confirmed it is testing “image enhancement technology” on Shorts. The platform says the system uses “traditional machine learning” to unblur, denoise, and improve clarity, comparing it to what modern smartphones already do when processing images.
Rene Ritchie, YouTube’s head of editorial and creator liaison, said the goal is to provide “the best video quality and experience possible.” A spokesperson added that these tests do not use generative AI.
I first came across this on Twitter, where several artists said YouTube’s AI oversharpening made it impossible to post their work. The feature stripped away their creative direction and personal touch in the name of ‘clarity and quality.’
YouTube is not alone. Google’s Pixel phones already use AI to generate “Best Take” photos by stitching together faces from multiple shots. Samsung has faced scrutiny for AI-enhanced Moon photos, while Netflix was recently criticized for AI “remasters” of classic sitcoms that warped faces and backgrounds.