YouTube adds AI video upscaling with creator opt-out options

YouTube has announced AI-powered video upscaling for low-resolution content on TV screens, automatically enhancing videos uploaded below 1080p to HD quality. The platform is giving both creators and viewers the ability to opt out of these enhancements, addressing previous complaints about unwanted modifications to original content.

What you should know: YouTube will automatically upscale videos uploaded in 240p to 720p resolutions using AI technology, with plans to support 4K upscaling in the near future.
• Original files and video resolution will remain intact, giving creators “complete control over their library” with a clear opt-out option.
• Viewers can still watch videos in their original uploaded resolution, with super resolution clearly labeled in settings.
• The feature won’t apply to older videos that creators have already remastered to 1080p themselves.

Why this matters: YouTube’s opt-out approach directly responds to creator concerns about platform enhancements being applied without consent, sometimes causing undesirable visual distortions.
• The TV screen is YouTube’s “fastest-growing surface,” making visual quality improvements increasingly important for viewer experience.
• Most major TV brands already offer AI upscaling, but YouTube’s creator-friendly approach sets it apart by prioritizing content owner control.

Additional TV improvements: YouTube is rolling out several other features designed to enhance the television viewing experience.
• The platform is expanding video thumbnail limits from 2MB to 50MB to support 4K images.
• A new instant shopping feature will let viewers scan QR codes with their phones to buy products featured in videos.
• Creators can now feature products at specific, timed moments within their videos during testing.

Enhanced navigation features: YouTube is introducing immersive homepage previews and improved contextual search functionality.
• Users can more easily flip through their favorite YouTube channels with new preview options.
• When searching from a creator’s channel page, the platform will prioritize videos from that specific channel rather than pulling content from across the entire platform.

What they’re saying: “The TV screen is our fastest-growing surface, and we remain committed to delivering features that make creator content shine,” YouTube stated in the announcement.