YouTube is cooking up some exciting new tools to help creators keep their unique voice and likeness safe from the grasp of generative AI. In its blog post, the platform unveiled its plans to roll out new tech aimed at giving creators more control and protection. The goal? To balance the scale between harnessing AI’s creative power and safeguarding the hard work of artists and creators.

First up is a tool dubbed “synthetic-singing identification technology.” This nifty feature will allow musicians and creators to automatically detect and manage content on YouTube that mimics their singing voices using AI. Think of it as a high-tech watchdog for your voice. This tool will be integrated into YouTube’s existing Content ID system and is set to kick off with a pilot program next year.

This move follows YouTube’s pledge from last November to give music labels a way to take down AI-generated clones of their artists. With generative AI music tools improving at a breakneck pace, there’s been growing concern among artists about potential plagiarism and copyright issues. Earlier this year, over 200 artists, including big names like Billie Eilish, Pearl Jam, and Katy Perry, spoke out against unauthorized AI mimicry, calling it an “assault on human creativity” and urging for more responsible AI development.

YouTube is also working on a tool to detect deepfake videos that impersonate creators, actors, musicians, and athletes. Although the specifics and launch date for this tool are still under wraps, it’s clear that YouTube is serious about tackling fake content.

On another front, YouTube is clamping down on companies that scrape its platform to build AI tools. Despite its clear terms of service prohibiting unauthorized access, companies like OpenAI, Apple, and others have been found using scraped YouTube videos to train their AI systems. To counter this, YouTube plans to block these scrapers and invest in better detection systems.

In their announcement, YouTube emphasized their belief that AI should enhance, not replace, human creativity. They’re committed to working with their partners to make sure that advancements in AI support and amplify the voices of creators, rather than undermining them. Plus, YouTube hints at upcoming changes that will give creators more control over how third-party AI companies use their content, with more details to come later this year.

In short, YouTube is gearing up to make sure creators’ voices remain uniquely theirs, even in an era where AI is increasingly capable of imitating them.