AI-generated content is text, images, video, audio or code that a generative model produced from a prompt or reference material instead of a person making it by hand. A caption, a product photo and a short clip can all qualify. Some of it now needs a label, and the rules differ by platform and country.
A working definition, with examples
The test is who did the making. If a model produced the pixels, the words or the sound from your instructions, it is AI-generated. If you made it and a tool helped, it is something else, and the next section covers that line.
Outside AIGE the examples are everyday ones, like a chatbot's answer or a product photo from an image model. Inside AIGE, a 1K image from a prompt costs 8 credits and a 5-second Kling V3 Pro clip without sound costs 56 credits. You can see more on the AI image generator and AI video pages.
Generated, edited or assisted: where the line sits
There are three rough bands. Generated means the model made it. Edited means a model changed something that already existed, like swapping a background. Assisted means a person made it and AI helped along the way.
YouTube draws the line by whether the result could mislead, not by whether a model touched it. Its help page lists what needs disclosure: content that makes a real person appear to say or do something they didn't, content that alters footage of a real event or place, and content that generates a realistic scene that didn't occur. Minor edits that are primarily aesthetic, such as beauty filters, colour adjustments, captions and upscaling, don't need it, and neither does clearly unrealistic content.
When a label is expected, as of October 2026
These are the rules as the primary sources stated them in October 2026. Each platform sets its own.
Where | What it asks | Date |
|---|---|---|
YouTube | Disclose realistic altered or synthetic content in the "AI use" setting at upload. YouTube may also label automatically when content comes from its own AI tools or carries C2PA metadata. Creators who consistently don't disclose may get a label added or face penalties, up to removal or suspension from the YouTube Partner Program. | Help page, read October 2026 |
TikTok | Label AI-generated or significantly edited content that shows realistic-looking scenes or people. Unlabeled content may be removed, restricted or labeled by TikTok. It also labels content made with its own AI effects. | Released August 25, 2026, effective September 24, 2026 |
Meta | Use its disclosure tool for realistic video or audio that was digitally created or altered, or Meta may apply penalties. Labels read "AI Info" and are applied when Meta detects industry-standard AI indicators or when people disclose. | Post updated April 1, 2025; labeling page updated February 19, 2025 |
EU AI Act, Article 50 | Whoever deploys an AI system that makes a deep fake must disclose it, with a lighter duty for evidently artistic, creative, satirical or fictional work. AI-generated text published to inform the public on matters of public interest must be disclosed unless it went through human review or editorial control and someone holds editorial responsibility for it. | Applies from August 2, 2026 |
FTC, United States | A rule bans fake reviews and testimonials that misrepresent they are by someone who does not exist, such as AI-generated fake reviews, with civil penalties for knowing violators. | Announced August 14, 2024 |
Two of these also read content metadata. YouTube says it can label content that carries C2PA metadata, and TikTok says it labels content from certain other platforms that carries Content Credentials.
Paid partnerships add a separate duty to disclose the sponsorship itself. The AI influencer vs human influencer comparison covers that side.
Limits worth knowing
Copyright. In the US, the Copyright Office said in January 2025 that prompts alone don't make someone the author of an AI output. Protection can apply where a person's own expression shows up in the output, or where a person makes creative arrangements or modifications. Using AI to help make something, or including AI-generated material in a larger human work, doesn't rule out copyright. That describes US practice only.
Labels miss things. Meta says its labeling method is still evolving and may not label some content edited with AI. A missing label doesn't mean something was made by hand.
Honest note: This is not legal advice, and the rules above change. Check each platform's current policy on the day you post.
Quick answers
Question | Answer |
|---|---|
What is AI-generated content? | Text, images, video, audio or code that a generative model produced from a prompt or reference material instead of a person making it by hand. |
What are examples of AI-generated content? | A chatbot's answer, an image from a prompt, a short video clip, a generated music track. In AIGE you can make images and video clips. |
Does AI-generated content need a label? | Often, if it looks realistic. YouTube, TikTok and Meta ask for labels on realistic content, and the EU's Article 50 has applied since August 2, 2026 for deep fakes. Rules vary by platform and country. |
Is AI-generated content the same as AI-edited content? | No. Generated means a model made it, edited means a model changed something that existed, and assisted means a person made it with AI help. YouTube's line is whether the result could mislead. |
Can you copyright AI-generated content? | In the US, prompts alone aren't enough for authorship, according to the Copyright Office's January 2025 report. A person's own expression or creative arrangement of the output can be protected. That is US practice only. |
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