YouTube's upcoming artificial intelligence age verification: An overview of imminent shifts
YouTube, the popular video-sharing platform, has announced the implementation of an AI-driven age estimation system to provide a safer and more tailored user experience for its users. This system will automatically apply age-appropriate protections to accounts that are inferred to belong to teenagers (under 18 years old).
The AI system analyses multiple signals, such as account longevity, video viewing history, and types/categories of videos watched, to determine a user's age, regardless of the birthdate provided in the user’s profile. If the AI determines an account likely belongs to a teen, YouTube will automatically apply age-appropriate protections.
These protections include disabling personalized advertising, limiting repeated viewing of certain videos, enabling digital wellbeing tools, applying additional safeguards on content recommendations, and restricting age-restricted content to users verified as adults or whose age is inferred to be over 18 by the system.
The AI-powered feature, known as the 'AI-powered carousel', is currently only available to YouTube Premium members. This feature surfaces information more quickly when searching for shopping, places, or things to do. The AI-powered carousel kicks in when searching for something related to these categories and highlights relevant clips from videos in a carousel format for easy navigation.
It's worth noting that this AI-powered system is initially being tested on a small group of U.S. users with plans to expand after evaluation. If the AI mistakenly flags an adult as a teen, the user can verify their age using a government ID, credit card, or selfie, and then regain access to content and features available to adults.
YouTube has used similar age-inference methods in other markets before, and this rollout in the U.S. builds on existing safety features such as YouTube Kids, supervised accounts, and prior digital wellbeing efforts dating back to 2018.
The AI-powered carousel does not seem to require age verification for access and does not appear to be affected by the age-appropriate protections applied to teen accounts. This feature is a new addition to YouTube, launched last month, and does not seem to be part of the testing phase for the age verification system on YouTube.
In summary, YouTube’s AI-driven age estimation enables automatic, continuous application of protections that tailor the user experience to be age-appropriate, while providing recourse for users to correct mistaken age classification. This move is aimed at enhancing the safety and user experience on the platform, particularly for younger users.
- Despite the types of videos watched, the AI system on YouTube employs multiple signals to infer a user's age, regardless of the birthdate provided in their profile, and applies age-appropriate protections to accounts inferred to belong to teenagers.
- The new AI-powered carousel on YouTube, while not requiring age verification for access, does not seem to be affected by the age-appropriate protections applied to teen accounts, serving as a quick means for surfacing information about shopping, places, or things to do in a carousel format.
