YouTube is developing new tools to protect artists and creators from unauthorized use of their likenesses. The company said Thursday that new technology to detect AI-generated content using a person’s face or singing voice is in the pipeline, with pilot programs starting early next year.
The upcoming face-detection technology will reportedly allow people in a variety of industries to “detect and manage” content that uses AI-generated depictions of their faces. YouTube says it is building tools that allow creators, actors, musicians and athletes to find and choose to take action against videos that include a deepfake version of their likeness. The company has not yet specified a release date for the face detection tool.
Meanwhile, the “synthetic-singing identification” technology will be part of Content ID, YouTube’s automated IP protection system. The company says the tool will let partners find and manage content that uses AI-generated versions of their singing voices.
“As AI evolves, we believe it should enhance human creativity, not replace it,” Amjad Hanif, YouTube’s vice president of creator products, wrote in a blog post. “We’re committed to working with our partners so that future advancements amplify their voices, and we’ll continue to develop safeguards to address concerns and achieve our common goals.”
As the world changes, console generations change too. The Nintendo Switch is more than seven years old, so it’s in need of a refresh. Rumors of a Nintendo Switch 2 have been swirling for years, but now we’re getting some hints of what’s coming. The company officially revealed the sequel to its most successful home console of all time in a brief trailer on Jan. 16.
The Switch 2 looks functionally identical to the original system, though it has a larger display, magnetic Joy-Cons, and a sleeker design. The company also confirmed that the upcoming console will be backward compatible with Switch games.
While this reveal confirmed some rumors and also gave some interesting details for those who were keeping a close eye, Nintendo is still keeping its cards under wraps. We’ll have to wait for a special Nintendo Direct on April 2 for all the interesting details. What’s annoying is that that date is Wednesday and not To-As-Day.