Is YouTube Really Banning Monetization of AI-Generated Content?

Today, I came across a headline saying "YouTube is banning monetization of AI-generated content."

But I wasn’t convinced that all AI content would be affected—so I decided to fact-check it myself.

YouTube channel monetization policies

What Does YouTube Check During Monetization Review?

"Your content must be original and authentic."

Requirements for Monetization:

It must be your original creation.
If you use someone else’s content, you need to make substantial modifications to make it your own.
It should not be mass-produced or repetitive.
Content created solely to gain views is not acceptable.
It should be made to entertain or educate the audience.

✅ So, simply using AI as a tool is not an issue.
As long as human effort—such as editing or commentary—is involved, monetization is possible.

To What Extent Can You Use AI?

❌ What is “Inauthentic” Content?

Content that is highly repetitive or mass-produced using templates
Content that relies only on AI voice/video generators, resulting in low-quality or plagiarized media

✅ AI Use is Not Banned

YouTube allows using AI tools to enhance or assist in content creation.
However, human elements like narration, editing, analysis, and creativity must be clearly present.

Examples: What’s Monetizable vs. What’s Not

✅ Monetizable Content	❌ Not Monetizable Content
Script enhancement, subtitles, thumbnails via AI	AI voice + slideshow of static images
AI-generated backgrounds + human narration	Content that repeats automatically generated routines
AI translation/dubbing + human explanation	Basic videos where AI reads text aloud

So, What’s Going on with AI Shorts Lately?

Recently, YouTube Shorts has been flooded with AI-generated content.
From bizarre brain-rot clips like "TungTungTungSaHuRuh" to TTS readings of stolen blog posts—it’s everywhere.

I don’t usually watch Shorts, but for trend analysis, I occasionally take a look.
Some are mildly amusing, but most just feel mentally draining.
At some point, you can instantly tell if a video is AI-generated within the first second.

A New Opportunity?

Platforms like TikTok or Instagram don’t yet have clear rules on AI-generated content.
So we might actually see even more AI content flooding platforms other than YouTube.

Or perhaps we’ll see new AI Shorts strategies that skirt YouTube’s grey areas...
Maybe even a dedicated platform for AI-generated Shorts could emerge.

Conclusion

Not all AI-generated content is banned from monetization.
The key is originality, authenticity, and human creative contribution.

Hope you found this helpful.
Have a great day! 😊