YouTube is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by a desire to enhance the viewing experience, particularly on larger television screens. The platform is rolling out a series of updates designed to make browsing, shopping, and watching videos more seamless and visually appealing.
One key change involves allowing creators to upload larger thumbnails, grabbing viewers’ attention more effectively. Simultaneously, YouTube is streamlining the process of discovering and purchasing products directly within the viewing experience on TVs.
However, the most impactful shift lies in how YouTube handles video resolution. Soon, the platform will employ artificial intelligence to automatically upscale videos originally recorded in resolutions lower than 1080p.
This move addresses a growing issue: older videos, while charming, can appear blurry and pixelated when viewed on modern, high-definition televisions. The AI aims to breathe new life into this content, making it watchable on larger screens.
AI upscaling isn’t about creating something from nothing; it’s about intelligently enhancing existing footage, reducing noise and improving clarity. It’s a more reliable process than fully AI-generated content, but it isn’t without potential drawbacks.
Concerns have already surfaced, with some creators alleging that YouTube has been secretly applying AI upscaling to their content, resulting in unintended and undesirable visual artifacts. These issues have primarily been reported with YouTube Shorts.
A recent incident even sparked debate around a video featuring Will Smith, where some viewers suspected AI had been used to generate a crowd scene. While investigations suggest the footage was authentic, the AI appeared to have altered its appearance, creating a distorted look.
YouTube is responding to these concerns by emphasizing creator control. The platform assures creators that original files and resolutions will be preserved, and they will have the option to disable the AI upscaling feature entirely.
Viewers will also be informed when AI upscaling has been applied, with a “super resolution” label appearing in the video’s resolution settings. This allows viewers to choose between the upscaled version and the original, unaltered footage.
Importantly, videos that have already been manually remastered to 1080p or higher will not be affected by the automatic upscaling process. The AI will only target videos uploaded in lower resolutions.
This is reassuring for those who cherish the original look of classic content and want to avoid potentially jarring AI-induced alterations. The question remains whether this control will extend to YouTube Shorts.
The driving force behind these changes is simple: YouTube wants to capture a larger audience across a wider range of devices. What looks acceptable on a smartphone screen often falls short on a large-screen TV.
While YouTube hasn’t announced a specific launch date, viewers should be aware of the new feature. If you notice unusual visual anomalies, check the resolution settings – accessible via the cog icon – to see if AI upscaling is enabled.
