Google is rolling out a new AI feature for YouTube Shorts that lets content creators generate short videos using a digital avatar of themselves.
“The avatar feature gives users an easier way to include themselves safely and securely in videos, building on our existing creative tools,” a YouTube spokesperson told Decrypt.
Each prompt-based clip can run up to about eight seconds, though users can combine clips to produce longer videos.
The feature is available to users who own a YouTube channel and are at least 18 years old. At launch, it is rolling out to mobile users globally outside of Europe, with broader availability expected in the coming days.
Only the account holder can use their avatar to generate videos, which can be deleted at any time, though previously created videos remain online unless manually removed. The clips will also include AI disclosures and digital watermarks to indicate that the content was generated using artificial intelligence.
The news comes as generative video tools are spreading across the tech industry, with companies, including Synthesia, ElevenLabs, and HeyGen, offering platforms that create videos using AI presenters.
“AI will act as a bridge between curiosity and understanding,” he wrote. “Ultimately, we’re focused on ensuring AI serves the people who make YouTube great: the creators, artists, partners, and billions of viewers looking to capture, experience, and share a deeper connection to the world around them.”
