YouTube has added AI-generated music to its disclosure requirements for altered or synthetic content. Creators must now disclose when they use AI to create music that is the main focus of a video, according to the platform's "Disclosing altered or synthetic content" policy page as tracked by AuditSocials.
The change was detected on October 3, 2026. The page does not list an effective date. AuditSocials rated the change medium severity.
The new music requirement sits alongside existing disclosure categories: realistic depictions of real people, altered footage of real events, and realistic scenes that did not occur. Disclosure is made through the "AI use" setting in YouTube Studio. The added line on the policy page reads: "Creates music that's the main focus of the video."
The change affects creators uploading user-generated content and live streams. Creators should turn on the "AI use" setting when uploading a video whose main focus is AI-generated music, and review recent uploads where AI-generated music is the central element to add the disclosure. The page still exempts non-realistic content and minor edits, and because the new rule refers to music that is the "main focus", creators should check each case against that wording.
Separately, YouTube reported 1.04 million moderation decisions to the EU DSA Transparency Database for the period October 16, 2026 to October 22, 2026, compared with 958,031 in the previous seven days, a change of +8.4%. These figures are context only and are not linked to the policy change.
