YouTube Announces Stricter Monetization Policy to Combat AI Spam and Low-Quality Content
YouTube this month will roll out some updates to its monetization policy starting 15th July 2025 aimed at identifying mass produced or repetitive content that is not concerned authentic under the terms of its YouTube partner program.
This comes after growing concerns from advertisers, creators and viewers about declining authenticity.
Cracking down on “AI Slop”
YPP monetization has also been tightened, but no new rules have been introduced with this update. YouTube will now use the updated policies much more strongly against:
1. Mass generated videos with minimal human involvement
2. Repeated formats or templated uploads
3. Unoriginal AI content that adds no creative or educational value
Importantly, use of AI tools is not discouraged. Instead, creators may use AI so long as their work remains transformative and adds value, rather than employing it as a form of “copy-pasting” automation.
A YouTube spokesperson said, “You can use AI, but you still have to use your brain.” The platform is targeting spam, not creativity.
Not All Channels Are Affected
In a surprising twist of events, much to everyone’s amazement and fear, the truth has come . . . as YouTube itself, earlier in the day, confirmed that reaction videos, commentary contents, compilations of clips, and voiceovers wouldn’t be automatically penalized if they didn’t have any heavy reuse or unchanged material. Naturally, the enforcement is primarily from spam channels that litter YouTube with low-quality videos generated in masses through AI. A major protection tool to assurance of advertiser trust, as well as content quality, since such generative AI tools have been made available to the general public.
The Bigger Picture
This update is part of YouTube’s broader strategy to adapt to the AI-driven content boom while protecting the platform’s core identity as a space for authentic, creator-led storytelling. As competition intensifies and audience expectations rise, YouTube is sending a clear message: automation can support creativity, but it can’t replace it. For content creators, it’s no longer just about playing the algorithm—it’s about proving you’re human, original, and worth watching.