YouTube has started rolling out a feature that allows authors to generate an animated digital double based on their own appearance and voice for use in Shorts short films.

The service posits the new as a means of increasing control over the virtual way. Any content created with the avatar will be accompanied by a label of artificial intelligence, visual water signs and SynthID and C2PA identifiers.

To make a copy, you need to take a «live selfie» and record your speech via the YouTube app in the «AI Playground» section. Only adult account holders can access the tool. The finished character can be animated with a text description lasting up to eight seconds or added to existing suitable Shorts via «Remix». The Avatar can be overwritten or deleted at any time, and the platform will automatically delete the unused digital snippet after three years.