YouTube bans two popular channels that created fake AI movie trailers

Deadline reports that the behavior of these creators was contrary to YouTube’s spam and misleading-metadata policies. Plus, Google loves generative AI—YouTube has added more ways for creators to use generative AI, and the company says more generative AI tools are coming in the future. This is very difficult for Google to follow.

While circulating AI videos masquerading as authentic movie trailers is certainly spammy conduct, recent changes in the legal landscape may also be a factor. Disney recently partnered with OpenAI, bringing its vast library of characters to the company’s Sora AI video app. At the same time, Disney sent a Demand for cease and desist letter to Google Removal of Disney content from Google AI. The letter particularly cites AI content on YouTube as a matter of concern.

Both banned trailer channels made heavy use of Disney properties, sometimes including snippets of actual trailers. For example, Screen Culture created 23 AI trailers Fantastic Four: First StepsSome of which overtook the official trailer in searches. It’s unclear whether any accounts used Google’s Veo models to create the trailer, but Google’s AI will recreate Disney characters without any problems.

While Screen Culture and KH Studios were the biggest purveyors of AI movie trailers, they are far from being alone. There are others with five- and six-figure subscriber numbers, some of which include revelations about fan-made content. Is this enough to save them from the brunt of the ban? Many YouTube viewers probably wouldn’t expect that.