YouTube has acknowledged that it quietly applied machine-learning ‘quality improvements’ to a subset of Shorts videos without informing creators, after several high-profile users noticed unusual sharpening and skin-smoothing effects in their uploads and raised concerns publicly. In a statement first reported by the BBC, YouTube Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie said the company was “running an experiment on select Shorts that uses traditional machine learning to unblur, denoise and improve clarity,” stressing that the test involved no generative AI or upscaling. Music channels run by Rick Beato and Rhett Shull were among those that documented the changes, which some creators likened to an unsolicited beauty filter. The disclosure has triggered backlash from parts of YouTube’s creator community, who argue that undisclosed post-processing undermines artistic control and could erode viewer trust. Responding to the criticism, YouTube said it is building an opt-out feature and will “continue to take creator and viewer feedback into account” as it refines the technology.