How will YouTube deal with AI spam?

Neal Mohan shares his vision for YouTube in 2026. Photo: Vox .

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan aims to make 2026 the year when many creators can build large-scale and sustainable business models. He also expects artificial intelligence to act as a catalyst, helping creators accelerate this process.

In his annual open letter to the YouTube community, Mohan affirmed that the platform will tighten its control over low-quality, AI-generated content while strengthening mechanisms to protect children and teenagers. This move reflects the balancing challenge the world's largest video platform faces as it continues to expand.

The Hollywood Reporter suggests that perhaps most importantly, Mohan focuses on pushing back against "AI slop," a term referring to mass-produced, low-quality AI content uploaded to platforms. At the same time, the algorithm still facilitates the creation of new forms of content using this technology.

The lesson the CEO shared over the past 20 years is to avoid imposing any preconceived notions on the creator ecosystem. "Today, trends that were once considered strange, like ASMR or watching others play games, have become commonplace," he wrote.

According to Mohan, the rise of AI is increasing concerns about a wave of low-quality content, often referred to as "AI slop." As an open platform, YouTube still facilitates many forms of free expression, but at the same time must ensure user comfort.

The YouTube CEO emphasized that this openness comes with the responsibility of maintaining a high-quality viewing experience. To limit the spread of low-quality AI content, the platform is continuing to strengthen systems that have proven effective in combating spam, clickbait, and minimizing repetitive, low-value content.

YouTube Shorts will also undergo significant changes, including the addition of new formats such as still images. At the same time, Mohan highlighted a range of products designed to drive revenue growth, including tools to support brand collaborations, allowing creators the flexibility to add or remove brand integrations to content within their library.

In addition, Mohan also highlighted improvements in the content control system for children and teenagers. Parents will have greater autonomy in managing their children's content.

In the letter, he highlighted “four areas YouTube needs to get right in 2026” as the technology continues to spread. In the creative area, the YouTube CEO said the platform is developing AI tools to help users create Shorts with personal images, while also expanding its ability to experiment with music .

Mohan stated that, similar to how sound synthesizers, Photoshop, or CGI once revolutionized the creative industry, AI will become a new leverage point for creators willing to embrace the technology.

AI will reshape the viewer experience with features like automatic voiceovers, helping content reach a global audience. However, Mohan acknowledges that the rapid development of AI brings with it many risks, particularly the issue of low-quality and fake content.

He warned that distinguishing between real content and AI-generated content is becoming increasingly difficult, especially in cases of deepfakes. In this context, YouTube stated that it will tighten transparency and user protection measures, including labeling AI-generated content and deploying tools to help creators protect their images and personal identities.