Google Works to Fix YouTube’s AI Issues Following its Role in Creating the Problem

After receiving numerous complaints regarding an influx of low-quality, mass-produced content dominating feeds, YouTube appears ready to take action. The platform is set to crack down on what many have termed “AI slop,” referring to the algorithm-driven content that oversaturates the service. Effective from July 15, 2025, YouTube will implement updates to its Partner Program rules.

While the full details of the changes are not yet published, an early glimpse from an official help page indicates significant shifts. The primary focus of these updates will be on original content; creators producing non-original work should not expect to monetize their videos. The changes target “repetitious” and “auto-generated” content.

Although YouTube hasn’t explicitly mentioned AI tools in their announcement, the rising prevalence of such content makes the connection unmistakable. To address concerns regarding whether formats like reaction videos and clip compilations might be affected, YouTube’s Rene Ritchie clarified in a video that the update aims to flag content that fails to offer value—specifically, content that hasn’t been profitable to begin with. With the new guidelines, videos that utilize AI-generated voiceovers lacking personal narratives may also be at risk of losing monetization.

However, the criteria for determining what qualifies as “highly repetitive” remains vague, leaving a loophole for many low-effort creators to continue producing content that might not fully adhere to the new rules. While YouTube’s intentions appear to be positive, the enforcement of these rules could prove challenging. As AI technology advances quickly, content creators relying on automated methods might easily exploit new gaps in policy.

It’s worth noting that Google may have inadvertently contributed to the surge of low-quality content by allowing it to proliferate unchecked. Now that these issues are becoming more apparent in both search results and YouTube Shorts, the platform is finally taking action—though some would argue it’s long overdue.