Your digital twin is here: YouTube launches AI avatar tool for creators

YouTube is rolling out a new feature that allows creators to generate AI-based versions of themselves for use in Shorts — effectively enabling a controlled digital “clone” that can speak and appear like the original creator.

According to the platform, the feature is designed to help creators produce content that looks and sounds like them, but within a secure and permission-based system.

To access it, users must be at least 18 years old and have an active YouTube channel. Eligible creators can initiate the setup through the YouTube app or the YouTube Create app, where they are required to record a live selfie-style capture of their face and voice. This data is then used to generate a personalised AI avatar.

Once created, the avatar can be used to generate videos through text prompts. The tool also allows creators to place their AI version into existing Shorts, making the final output appear more seamless and realistic.

Similar AI avatar tools have already been experimented with on third-party platforms, often showing highly convincing visual and audio replication. YouTube’s integration now brings this capability directly into its own ecosystem.

The platform has also introduced safety and control options, allowing creators to delete their avatar data or remove generated videos at any time. Users can also restrict how their likeness is used in remixed content.

For now, the feature is limited to Shorts, though future expansion into long-form content remains a possibility as the technology evolves.

The development raises broader questions about the future of digital identity, as the boundary between real and AI-generated creators continues to blur.