OpenAIs Sora rival? YouTube plans AI Shorts using your own likeness

YouTube is getting ready to push AI deeper into Shorts, and this time, it’s personal. The platform has confirmed that creators will soon be able to generate AI-powered Shorts using their own likeness, a move that puts YouTube directly in the same conversation as OpenAI’s Sora. Also Read: YouTube TV multiview feature is about to get fully customisable to let you watch multiple content

The announcement came straight from YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, as part of the company’s roadmap for the year. While details are still limited, the direction is clear: AI isn’t just helping creators edit anymore—it’s stepping in front of the camera. Also Read: How To Get Short Answers From ChatGPT

AI Shorts, starring you

According to YouTube, creators will soon be able to create Shorts where an AI-generated version of themselves appears on screen. While YouTube hasn’t explained the exact workflow, the idea feels similar to OpenAI’s Sora, which lets users generate realistic videos after recording a short selfie clip and voice sample. The goal, as YouTube puts it, is expression—not replacement. Mohan made it clear that AI is meant to expand creative possibilities, not quietly take over creator identities.

With realism comes responsibility. YouTube says all AI-generated content created using its tools will be clearly labelled. Creators will also be required to disclose when a Short includes realistic altered or synthetic content.

More importantly, YouTube plans to give creators better control over how their likeness is used. This includes tools to manage, limit, or protect against misuse of AI-generated versions of themselves—something that’s becoming increasingly important as AI visuals get harder to tell apart from real footage.

What about AI slop?

Mohan didn’t avoid the elephant in the room. AI-generated low-effort content—often called “AI slop”—is already flooding feeds across platforms. YouTube says it’s actively strengthening its systems to reduce spam, repetitive uploads, and low-quality AI content, while still leaving room for experimentation.

It’s a careful balance. Shorts alone are now pulling in over 200 billion daily views, and YouTube doesn’t want that experience diluted.

More AI tools are coming

The AI Shorts feature is just one part of YouTube’s bigger plan. The company is also working on AI-powered game creation using text prompts, music experimentation tools, and new Shorts formats like image posts. Parental controls for Shorts and deeper creator monetisation tools are also on the way.

For YouTube, AI isn’t a side experiment anymore. It’s becoming part of how content is created, consumed, and controlled—whether creators are ready or not.