The company said it will start using internal detection systems from May 2026 to identify videos containing what it described as “significant photorealistic AI” content.

When creators fail to disclose that material, YouTube will now add the label automatically.

The update also changes where viewers see those warnings. Instead of hiding them inside video descriptions, YouTube will place labels directly below long-form videos and over Shorts, making them easier to spot.

YouTube has required creators since 2024 to disclose content made with AI tools when videos could realistically be mistaken for real people, places or events. However, content that was clearly fictional, animated or unrealistic did not need the same treatment.

Now, the company says it wants a more reliable system as AI video tools become harder to distinguish from real footage.

“We’ve heard consistently from our community that they value transparency when it comes to generative AI content,” YouTube said.

“That’s why since 2024, we’ve been labeling content when creators disclose they’ve used AI tools.”

The platform said the policy itself has not changed, but enforcement is becoming more active as AI-generated video quality improves.

The announcement follows the launch of Google’s Gemini Omni models at the company’s developer conference last week. Google said the models can generate highly realistic videos while showing an understanding of subjects including physics, science, history and culture.

Under the new system, creators will still be expected to disclose AI-generated content themselves. However, YouTube explained it will step in when its systems detect realistic AI content that has not been labelled.

“If a creator doesn’t specify whether or not they used AI, but our systems detect significant photorealistic AI use, we will now automatically apply a label,” the company said.

Creators who believe their content was wrongly flagged will be able to update the disclosure status through YouTube Studio. Still, YouTube said labels will remain permanent in some situations.

That includes videos produced using YouTube’s own AI tools such as Veo and Dream Screen. The same applies to videos carrying C2PA metadata showing they were fully generated with AI systems.

C2PA is an industry standard designed to help identify AI-generated and digitally altered media. Companies including OpenAI, Nvidia, Kakao and Eleven Labs have backed the standard in recent months.

YouTube is also changing how labels appear across the platform.

For long-form videos, labels will now be directly below the video player and above the description section. On Shorts, viewers will see them as overlays on the video itself.

The company said labels for unrealistic or lightly edited AI content will still appear only inside the expanded description section.

“By moving these labels on to the main stage, viewers get the context they need at a glance,” YouTube said.

The changes align with YouTube’s expansion of other tools aimed at detecting manipulated content. The company recently increased access to its AI deepfake detection system, allowing adults to scan the platform for videos that may contain their likeness.

At the same time, YouTube continues adding AI features across its services, including AI-generated video summaries, playlist tools for YouTube Music, interactive search functions and creation tools for creators.

Despite the labelling system, YouTube said the presence of an AI label will not affect recommendations or whether creators can make money from their videos.

“It’s important to note that a disclosure label alone does not change how a video is recommended or whether it’s eligible to earn money,” the company said.

Meanwhile, Instagram Reels, embedded within a huge Instagram user base, now accounts for roughly 35% of all Instagram screen time, and Reels content is played hundreds of billions of times per day across Instagram and Facebook combined.

This shows that short-form video has grown from being just a trend, to being the core of brand visibility in 2025.

So if you’re a brand, creator or marketer, you need to stop thinking ‘whether’ you should use short-form, start thinking of ‘where’, Shorts or Reels, and ‘why’.

Platform Ecosystem & Purpose

YouTube Shorts

• Shorts sits inside the YouTube ecosystem, search, long-form content, recommendations. That means when you create a Short, you tap into a platform where many people already come to search, discover, learn.
• Because of this, Shorts functions as both a discovery tool and a funnel to deeper, longer-form content. A good Short can lead users to full-length videos, playlists or a brand’s channel archive.

Instagram Reels

• Reels lives in a social graph–driven ecosystem. Instagram is usually about identity, lifestyle, trends, social sharing.
• Reels feeds into what people want when they open the app for fun, quick entertainment, aesthetic content, or something trending among peers. It’s less about searching for answers and more about browsing, enjoying and consuming.

In short, YouTube Shorts aligns with search and intent-driven consumption; Instagram Reels aligns with browsing, trends and social discovery.

Algorithm & Video Lifecycle: Important Mechanics

Recommendation Logic

• Shorts leverages YouTube’s combination of search history, user behaviour, metadata (title, description) and omnipresent recommendation logic. This means a well-optimised Short can surface both in Shorts feed and also in search results, giving it potential for long-term discoverability.
• Reels is driven more by interest graphs, recency, trending behaviour, and social signals (shares, comments, likes, saves). The algorithm tends to prioritise what’s trending now, or what’s already popular.

Session Behaviour & Longevity

• Users on YouTube frequently have longer watch cycles. Shorts may draw them in, but the platform invites deeper engagement (long-form videos, channels, playlists). That gives more opportunity for connection, retention, and conversion from casual viewer to subscriber or consumer.
• On Instagram, the typical user session is fast: quick scrolls, rapid consumption, fleeting attention. That suits Reels, but it also means videos often peak within 48–72 hours, then fade.

Video Lifespan: Evergreen vs Ephemeral

• A Short, if optimised well, can keep generating views for weeks or months due to search and YouTube’s recommendation/resurfacing logic.
• A Reel tends to have a short shelf-life: high initial reach, but sharp drop-off after the initial surge unless the trend repeats or the brand re-posts.

Audience Demographics & Content Intent

Who is Watching What

• Short-form video overall is popular across demographic groups, but the intent is highly important. Many YouTube Shorts viewers come with a purpose, to learn, solve problems, discover products or ideas.
• Instagram Reels tends to attract users in a lifestyle, entertainment, visual-first mindset, people browsing for fun, inspiration or social connection.

Content Fit by Sector

Because of the difference above:

• Brands rooted in education, how-to’s, product demos, tech, finance, reviews tend to find better alignment with Shorts. The users are already primed for “search and learn.”
• Brands in fashion, beauty, lifestyle, travel, events, culture often do better with Reels, where aesthetic appeal, storytelling, vibe, and social sharing matter more.

That said, each brand should choose based on what it sells and what the audience expects.

Discoverability: Search vs Trend-Based Reach

YouTube Shorts; Search Advantage

When you optimise a Short with relevant title, description, keywords, you make it discoverable not only in Shorts feed, but via search results, recommendations and even external search engines (Google). 

For brands, that means evergreen value. The video can keep working for you long after posting.

Also, since Shorts can funnel viewers into longer-form content (playlists, tutorials, product pages), there’s a clarity from first exposure → deeper engagement → conversion.

Instagram Reels; Viral & Trend-Driven Exposure

Reels does great when it comes to riding cultural moments, audio trends, viral challenges, or aesthetic storytelling. If you hit the right trend at the right time, you can get massive exposure quickly.

But because Reels success depends heavily on timing, social sharing, and platform algorithm favour, there’s less long-term discoverability. Once the trend dies down, reach drops.

Shelf-Life Comparison

• Shorts = Long-tail value, especially for searchable, evergreen content.
• Reels = Short-term spike, ideal for hype, launches, trend-driven campaigns.

Monetisation & Creator/Brand Value

YouTube Shorts

• Shorts provides a precise path to long-term channel growth, because viewers who find Shorts can move into long-form content and become subscribers.
• For many creators and brands, that means a potential sustained audience base, rather than one-off hits.
• Because of the stable ecosystem and discoverability, Shorts can become a tool for building authority, trust, and eventually conversions or sales (especially for informational or demo-based content).

Instagram Reels

• Reels is strong for brand image, social proof, visibility, community, trend-driven engagement. It’s ideal when your goal is buzz, aesthetic branding, or social shareability.
• However, because reach tends to decay quickly, it may need constant posting, refreshing, and creative energy to maintain visibility.

Hence, Shorts favours sustained growth and depth, while Reels favours visibility and breadth.

Engagement & Conversion: Depth vs Impulse

Shorts → Intent-Driven Conversion

When someone finds your brand via Shorts, there’s usually an underlying intent, to learn, to explore, to solve a problem. That means they’re more likely to engage, watch longer, click through to other content, even make a purchase if what you offer matches their intent.

For example, a tutorial, a “how to”, a product review, this works well as Shorts because it aligns with the user’s mindset.

Reels → Impulse & Social Conversion

Reels work better for impulse, aspiration, discovery. They tap into emotion, trends, social identity. They can create brand awareness fast.

If your brand is about lifestyle, aesthetics, culture, social status, Reels can give you quick visibility. But the risk is shallow engagement, many viewers scroll fast, enjoy briefly, then move on.

What This Means for Different Kinds of Brands

• If you’re a tech brand, SaaS, educational creator, or selling products that require explanation (e.g. tutorials, how-tos, complicated features), prioritise Shorts.
• If you’re in fashion, beauty, travel, lifestyle, culture, community-centric fields, Reels may serve you better.
• If you want both reach and lasting value, consider a dual strategy: use Instagram Reels for quick visibility or hype, and YouTube Shorts for evergreen value, discovery and deeper engagement.

So…

From where I stand, I’d say brands should stop thinking “one-size-fits-all.” The platforms are different tools. Use each for what it does best.

• Want long-term discoverability, stable growth, search-driven conversions → lean on Shorts.
• Want fast exposure, brand buzz, social engagement, trend-driven reach → lean on Reels.
• Best: a hybrid approach, with content targeting specifically to each platform’s strengths.

If I were building a mid-sized brand, I’d treat YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels as two distinct channels, each with its own content plan, goals, and metrics. I wouldn’t simply reupload the same video to both and hope for the best.

Choose Strategy Over Imitation

Short-form content isn’t rocket science, but success depends on understanding platform dynamics, user intent, and strategic goals.

Instagram Reels gives virality, social traction, and cultural relevance; YouTube Shorts helps with searchability, evergreen reach, and long-term value.

Pick based on what your brand needs now, but also plan for what you want in six months, a year, or even farther ahead.

If you build with strategy, not just mimicry, you stand a much better chance of turning short-form content into growth.

The rollout, announced at its Made on YouTube live event on Tuesday, challenges TikTok and Instagram Reels in the race for creator attention.

One of the most anticipated updates is Veo 3 Fast, a streamlined version of Google DeepMind’s text-to-video model. Unlike the full Veo 3, this variant produces clips at 480p with minimal delay and, for the first time, sound. 

The feature opens up new possibilities where creators can animate still images, transfer motion from one subject to another, and apply unique visual styles such as origami or pop art, all through text prompts.

YouTube is also expanding how creators remix content. A new Speech to Song tool, powered by Google’s music model Lyria 2, can transform lines of dialogue into soundtracks. “As the world’s largest creative playground, YouTube is where trends are born and where you can draw inspiration from. Imagine hearing a line of dialogue that sparks an idea—a funny phrase, a memorable quote, or a one-of-a-kind sound—and you want to remix it into a new sound,” said Dina Berrada, YouTube’s director of Product for Shorts and Generative AI Creation. 

The platform says creators can further personalise these soundtracks with moods like chill, danceable, or fun. Testing has already begun, with broader availability in the United States expected soon.

Another addition, Edit with AI, tackles the challenge of turning raw clips into polished drafts. The feature automatically selects standout moments from footage, adds music, transitions, and even voiceovers in English or Hindi that respond to the video’s action. 

While still experimental, YouTube is trialling it on Shorts and its Create app, with plans to extend to more regions in the coming months.

For now, these tools are available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with global expansion projected for 2026. To maintain transparency, every AI-generated Short will carry SynthID watermarks and content labels.

YouTube is lowering the limitations to professional-level content creation. In embedding Google’s most advanced generative AI models directly into the Shorts workflow, the company is arming mobile-first creators with tools to innovate, compete, and keep pace with the speedy evolution of short-form content culture.

The updates, revealed at the Made on YouTube event in New York on Tuesday, are designed to cut editing time, promote podcast content through short-form videos, and help audio creators expand into video.

One of the headline features is AI-assisted clipping. Creators in the United States will soon be able to generate suggested clips from their long-form video podcasts. 

These clips can then be transformed into YouTube Shorts, a feature set to roll out early next year. In turning lengthy episodes into quick, digestible content, YouTube is competing against TikTok and Instagram Reels, where short videos are most used in user engagement.

Another update, expected in early 2026, will allow audio-only podcasters to generate video versions of their shows on YouTube. Using AI, creators will be able to build customised visuals to match their audio, making it possible for those without video production resources to appear on YouTube with competitive content. For now, this feature will be limited to select podcasters, with more access planned later in the year.

The company framed these developments as part of its goal to make podcasts a central part of its ecosystem. YouTube says users now stream over 100 million hours of podcasts daily, with more than 30% of that time beginning as livestreams or premieres. Earlier this year, the platform surpassed 1 billion monthly podcast viewers, topping in a space where Spotify and Apple have also been fighting for ground.

Spotify, for its part, has been adding tools such as video podcasting, polls, Q&As, and monetisation features to retain creators and audiences. But YouTube’s deep integration of podcasts into both its main platform and YouTube Music, coupled with its scale in video discovery, could give it an edge.

“YouTube has been more focused on building out tools for podcasters over the past several years, making pods a more prominent feature on YouTube’s home page and its YouTube Music service alike,” the company noted during the event.

The updates also reveal YouTube’s strategy to use AI to reduce production barriers, strengthen discovery through Shorts, and keep creators locked into its ecosystem while competing directly with TikTok’s recommendation engine and Spotify’s creator-focused innovations.

This will turn Shorts into a stronger source of revenue for creators as viewers can now identify and purchase the products they see, without interruption of their viewing experience.

With this change, YouTube aims to monetise Shorts more effectively, following internal data that showed an increase in engagement during recent testing. 

According to the company, “Shorts with Shopping product stickers saw over 40% more clicks on products than Shorts with the Shopping button.” 

That alone explains why the change from a static shopping banner to interactive stickers could be a game-changer.

Before now, products were only visible in a small banner located at the bottom-left corner of Shorts. Viewers had to tap it to access a list of tagged items. 

Now, when a creator tags a product in their Short, YouTube automatically creates a sticker using the first tagged item. Creators are also given the option to reorder products, change the size, and move the sticker around to better fit the content layout.

In Shorts where multiple products are tagged, viewers can tap a small downward arrow on the sticker to expand the full list. From there, clicking any product takes the user straight to the seller’s website. This reduces friction in the buying process and turns entertainment into a near-instant purchase opportunity.

The YouTube Shopping Product stickers are being rolled out globally over the coming week, with South Korea as the only exception for now. However, YouTube says expansion to that market is already in the pipeline.

At the Cannes Lions 2025 event, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan noted the massive viewership potential of Shorts. “Shorts are now averaging more than 200 billion daily views,” he said. 

That kind of reach, combined with integrated commerce, shows that YouTube is now squarely placing Shorts as a shoppable entertainment format.

Mohan also disclosed that Google’s Veo 3, an advanced video generator that includes both audio and video features, will soon be integrated into Shorts. While no release date was specified, the addition could bolster how Shorts are created and monetised.

For creators, Shorts are now a tool for commerce, and with direct control over how and where these stickers appear, creators can enhance their content strategy with monetisation in mind.

The feature is available only via the YouTube mobile app, not on Studio or desktop, and changes can be made either during upload or afterward. So, if you’re planning your next Short, you’ll want to consider where that sticker fits.

These AI-powered tools will help unlock powerful new forms of creative expression, take the friction out of the creative process, and allow YouTube creators to reach more viewers.

Showcasing the limitless potential AI can bring to creators, artists and the creative industry, today’s key announcements include:

The introduction of Dream Screen, a new generative AI feature to unlock creative expression on Shorts:

Later this year, YouTube will introduce Dream Screen, a new experimental feature that allows creators to add AI-generated video or image backgrounds to their Shorts simply by typing an idea into a prompt.

With Dream Screen, creators will be able to generate new, fantastic settings for their Shorts that are only limited by bounds of their imagination.

Since launching YouTube Shorts in 2020, Shorts has now climbed to over 70B daily views from over 2B logged-in users every month. 

The launch of YouTube Create to help take the work out of video production: To help anyone to create and share videos right to YouTube, today the platform has launched a new mobile app called YouTube Create, which was designed to empower creators to get started with a suite of production tools to edit their Shorts, longer videos, or both.

• The app offers video editing tools including precision editing and trimming, automatic captioning, voiceover capabilities and access to a library of filters, effects, transitions and royalty-free music with beat matching technology so that creators can produce their next YouTube video without relying on complex editing software.
• YouTube has consulted with more than 3k creators in the process of building YouTube Create.
• Currently in beta on Android in select markets including the United States, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Indonesia, India, Korea, and Singapore, YouTube Create is free of charge.

Here are more ways that YouTube is helping take the heavy lifting off creators and giving them more efficient tools to help them come up with new ideas and reach new audiences.

• YouTube is bringing Aloud, an AI-powered dubbing tool, into YouTube so creators easily reach audiences well beyond their primary language.
  • Available to select creators, the feature is currently being tested in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
• Next year, assistive search in Creator Music will make it easier for creators to find a soundtrack for their video. Creators can simply type in a search query and AI will suggest the right music at the right place.
  • Creator Music is currently available in the US, and we look forward to expanding as quickly as possible.
• Next year, YouTube Studio will tap generative AI to spark video ideas and draft outlines to help creators brainstorm. These insights are personalized for each channel and based on what audiences are already watching and interested in.
  • YouTube has been testing early versions of AI-powered tools in YouTube Studio with creators, and more than 70 percent of those surveyed said it’s helped them develop and test ideas for videos.

Neal Mohan, YouTube’s Chief Executive Officer said: “Today we shared new updates that will help creators and artists push the boundaries of creative expression — by making the difficult things simple and impossible dreams possible. Making it easier for creators anywhere to create content they love is core to YouTube’s commitment to putting creative power into the hands of billions of people. Today is the start of a new era of creativity. We can’t wait to see what our incredible community of creators and artists make on YouTube.” 

Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s Global Head of Music, said:

“Bold and responsible, that is our mission. The potential of AI is incredibly exciting. But as with any new technology, we have to approach it responsibly. What Artists, Songwriters, and Producers do is something that is uniquely human, that cannot be replaced by technology. We see AI as a tool that can be used by artists to amplify and accelerate their creativity. And we are committed to working alongside the creative community within our AI Music Incubator, which has now expanded globally. We are also leaning into our superpower – our deep partnerships with the music industry – working back-to-back with them to achieve our collective goals of fueling creativity and driving business forward.”

These creators and artists are using YouTube to drive forward the future of creative expression and explain how the announcements shared today will impact the broader ecosystem:

• YouTube creator, Alan Chikin Chow, said: “It’s really great to see a dedicated Create app because it gives creators the confidence that whatever we make on YouTube Create will be optimized for the platform. An app like this will open the door for more people and make becoming a YouTuber that much more accessible.”
• YouTube creator, Jade Beason, said: “I am all about efficiency. I’m really excited about the AI-powered insights because it’s taking what I already do – scouring the internet, looking at Google Trends, taking my viewers’ suggestions – and quickly giving me ideas for videos to get inspired to make and put my own spin on.”
• YouTube creator, Cleo Abram, said: “AI tools can help us shrink the gap between what we imagine and what we can make, instead of shrinking our ideas. And because they help us shrink that gap, these tools can increase access to the conversation.”
• Artist, songwriter and producer, Charlie Puth, said: “I’m thrilled to be a part of YouTube’s AI Music Incubator. GenAI technology is a powerful tool, and I’m grateful YouTube is collaborating with artists while developing their technology to ensure it ultimately accelerates creativity instead of replacing it.”

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YouTube unveiled lists ranking the top trending videos, music videos, Shorts, and creators in Nigeria today. This year’s lists are reflective of the most important moments to unfold in 2022 on and offline, such as the performance video for Mavins, Crayon, Ayra Starr, LADIPOE, Magixx and Boy Spyce’s  song titled Overloading, Episode 24 Apocalypse of Selena Tested and SELINA, the Nollywood Romantic Comedy from Uduak Isong TV.

“Every year, the YouTube End-of-Year Top lists give us a glimpse into what people in Nigeria were most curious about. YouTube is the place where everyone comes to see what has and is happening in the world while participating in, and having an impact on, today’s culture. Whether it’s Shorts creators making millions laugh such as Oga Sabinus, or fascinating events such as the 100 days building a modern underground hut with a grass roof and a swimming pool by Mr.Heang Update, 2022 was an important year for us all and we cannot wait to see what the next year has in store for us.”

This year, YouTube released five lists:

1. Top Shorts (NEW): A list ranking the most viewed Shorts  in Nigeria in 2022.
2. Top Trending Videos: A list ranking the most viewed Trending videos in Nigeria in 2022.
3. Top Music Videos: A list ranking the most viewed music videos in Nigeria in 2022.
4. Top Creators: Based on subscribers gained in 2022 in Nigeria. This list includes long form, Shorts, and multiformat Creators.
5. Breakout Creators: Based on subscribers gained in 2022 in Nigeria, and channel tripling in size when compared to 2021 (+200% year-over- year growth). This list includes long form, Shorts, and multiformat creators.

The Top Trending Videos list  is based on a range of factors – beyond just views – that indicate how “trending” a video really is.

The YouTube Culture & Trends team also considers engagement and looks at signals like shares and likes of a certain video.

YouTube announced that YouTube Shorts are being watched by over 1.5B logged-in users every month and averaging over 30 billion daily views.

The company also announced that YouTube paid more than 50 Billion (USD) to creators, artists, and media companies in the 3 years before June 2022.

More than two million people participate in YouTube’s partnerships program around the world. YouTube’s subscription services, YouTube Premium and YouTube Music, now have more than 80 million users, including trailers, around the world.

Below are the full list End of Year Lists in Nigeria:

YouTube is a Google company.

Since its inception, YouTube Shorts has grown a community of more than 1.5B monthly logged-in users globally. 

At the heart of YouTube’s journey are the voices of its creators and artists. When YouTube introduced Shorts, they knew that they were bringing an important new format to the YouTube repertoire.

For artists, the path to success has never been more demanding, so the team is even designing products like Shorts to make YouTube THE place for them to connect with their fans and grow long-term, sustainable music careers.

“We’ve been hard at work innovation and refining the product features our community knows and loves to incorporate this new video format into the broader YouTube experience. Here are some recently launched highlights:

• Utilizing content from the world’s largest video library, creators on YouTube can put their own spin on the content they love from YouTube using our latest video remixing features, Cut and Green Screen to Shorts on iOS (coming to Android soon). 

• Cut: The ability to use a 1-5 second video segment from any eligible VOD or Short in the creation of new Shorts content. 
• Green Screen: The ability to use up to a 60 second video segment from any eligible VOD or Short as the background for their original Short video. 

• Evolving the in-depth analytics, we recently rolled out a new design for YouTube Analytics which allows creators and artists to see insights and performance data for specific content across our different video formats: VOD (video on demand), Live and Shorts. This allows them to individualize and optimize their content strategies more effectively to make the most of the platform for both reach and revenue opportunities”, according to a statement the team shared today. 

As YouTube introduces new products, we’ve seen the birth of a new trend unique to the platform: “the rise of the multiformat creator and artist.”

Moving seamlessly between different video formats on YouTube — from Shorts, Longform, Live and Audio — these multiformat creators and artists create an infinite flow of content combinations to maximize their creativity, reach, community connection and revenue.

This interplay between video formats mirrors the reality of today’s viewer, who expects content to suit their active lives, varied interests and wide ranging attention spans. 

This approach is yielding real results for both our creators and artists. New insights include: 

• In April 2022, Shorts containing content sampled from long-form videos generated over 100B views. 
• With the launch of Shorts, artist and creator channels uploading both Shorts and long-form are seeing better overall watch time and subscriber growth relative to those only uploading long-form. 

Neal Mohan, YouTube’s Chief Product Officer, said: “Shorts have become an essential part of the YouTube experience for our creators and viewers. Now being watched by over 1.5B logged in users every month, the product is growing thanks to the creativity of our community. While we’re still at the beginning of our journey with Shorts, we look forward to continuing to innovate the product so our creators can continue to express themselves, connect with their audiences, and increase their reach and revenue opportunities on the platform.”

Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s Global Head of Music, said: Everybody knows that our mission at YouTube is to become the leading revenue generator for the music industry. Money is great, but it’s not enough. Building artist fandom is equally important. We want YouTube to be THE PLACE for artists to connect and create meaningful relationships with their fans and grow long-term, sustainable music careers; Shorts, combined with long-form video, is proving to be a critical way to do that. It’s our job to make sure that once fans find their life’s soundtrack on Shorts, they are met with prompts that encourage them to dive deeper into an artist’s repertoire. YouTube is the only platform that can bring that experience to reality and we are ALL IN on making it happen.

These Shorts creators and artists are using YouTube to lead the next wave of the creator economy.

Here is the list of the top 10 trending Shorts videos in the past year in Nigeria: