YouTube Now Lets You Create Your Own AI Deepfakes
The new YouTube Shorts feature lets creators generate short videos using a realistic digital recreation of their own face and voice.
By Jason NelsonEdited by Andrew HaywardApr 9, 2026Apr 9, 20263 min read
In brief
- Google is rolling out an AI avatar feature for YouTube Shorts creators.
- Users can generate videos of themselves speaking or performing scripted prompts.
- The launch comes as AI video tools spread across the tech industry.
Google is rolling out a new AI feature for YouTube Shorts that lets content creators generate short videos using a digital avatar of themselves.
Called “Make a video with my avatar,” the tool is rolling out through the YouTube app and YouTube Create. The feature began rolling out on Wednesday and will be available to most users in the coming days. It is powered by Google’s Veo 3.1 video model and is currently available only in Shorts and the YouTube Create app.
“The avatar feature gives users an easier way to include themselves safely and securely in videos, building on our existing creative tools,” a YouTube spokesperson told Decrypt.
Each prompt-based clip can run up to about eight seconds, though users can combine clips to produce longer videos.
The feature is available to users who own a YouTube channel and are at least 18 years old. At launch, it is rolling out to mobile users globally outside of Europe, with broader availability expected in the coming days.
Only the account holder can use their avatar to generate videos, which can be deleted at any time, though previously created videos remain online unless manually removed. The clips will also include AI disclosures and digital watermarks to indicate that the content was generated using artificial intelligence.
The news comes as generative video tools are spreading across the tech industry, with companies, including Synthesia, ElevenLabs, and HeyGen, offering platforms that create videos using AI presenters.
The rise of realistic AI videos has also raised concerns about deepfakes, prompting companies to add labels and watermarks to indicate when content is AI-generated.
However, bringing realistic video AI generation to the masses comes with a hefty cost. In March, OpenAI shut down its Sora video app after only six months. While the company said it was refining its focus on developing AGI, Sora reportedly cost the company $15 million per day to run.
The rollout fits into YouTube’s broader push to expand AI tools for creators. In a January letter outlining the platform’s priorities for 2026, CEO Neal Mohan said the company plans to expand AI-powered creation tools, including features that allow creators to produce Shorts using their own likeness.
“AI will act as a bridge between curiosity and understanding,” he wrote. “Ultimately, we’re focused on ensuring AI serves the people who make YouTube great: the creators, artists, partners, and billions of viewers looking to capture, experience, and share a deeper connection to the world around them.”
