YouTube May Be Targeting AI Content: Impact on Railway Channels?

[doc7austin]

I’ve checked, and there’s no official word from YouTube about changing their policy on AI-generated content. That said, some online sources are talking about it:

• https://www.searchenginejournal.com...oduced-content-in-monetization-update/550337/
• https://podcastle.ai/blog/youtube-monetization-update/
• https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/09/y...etitive-videos-as-concern-over-ai-slop-grows/

This forum’s been great for finding new railway content, especially YouTube channels with solid, original videos. Big thanks to the creators here for the effort.

Lately, I’ve noticed more channels using generative AI to help with their content. AI can be useful if it’s not overdone, but I’m not a fan of AI narration, AI-generated thumbnails, or fully AI-made videos. If a channel leans too hard into AI, I usually skip it, and I bet others do too.

It looks like YouTube might be taking action. The sources above suggest they’re targeting AI-generated content to focus on authentic videos that keep viewers watching. I’ve noticed some channels that rely heavily on AI seem to be getting fewer views lately, just from what I’ve seen.

I don’t want to call out specific channels, but I’m curious what you all think. How do you feel about AI in railway videos?

Disclaimer: I used AI tools to check spelling and grammar, but the ideas here are mine.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

YouTube has for some months already been asking people to tick a box upon uploading if their video has any AI content; if that box is ticked then - as far as I am aware - the presence of AI is supposed to be flagged up on the video profile before you watch it.

If people aren't ticking that when they should be, it's hardly surprising that there would be a crackdown.

As far as I am concerned, AI should be allowed provided it is correctly flagged up and made clear that it is present.

 

[doc7austin]

My take on that: AI really helps me to get all the spelling and grammar stuff right.

If people aren't ticking that when they should be, it's hardly surprising that there would be a crackdown.

This forum lists a lot of Youtube channels with great and authentic content. It is unfair in my eyes that few people take advantage of AI to increase their click rates. Hence, I am very satisfied with the recent crackdown. And I am not alone in that - lots of Youtube content creators have written me and said they were happy about Youtube's new enforcement policy.

As far as I am concerned, AI should be allowed provided it is correctly flagged up and made clear that it is present.

Yes, as I am not interested in AI railway videos, I would never click to watch these videos.

 

[Welly]

Having seen this crap recently, it is high time YT cracked down on AI generated content!

Screenshot of 5 YT shorts about the Class 99 with a tram thumbnail on the right after a YT search for Class 99.

 

[doc7austin]

Having seen this crap recently, it is high time YT cracked down on AI generated content!

I wouldn't be surprised if we see new railway YT channels popping up, where the creators never saw a real train neither from the inside, nor from the outside.

 

[yorksrob]

I was watching one on Hi-de-Hi the other day and you could tell it was AI - just from the way it pronounced "Hi-d-Hee and "Ruth Maydock".

Why they can't just get someone to do a voiceover - it can't be that expensive.

 

[Howardh]

On the plus side, AI can improve/colourise old/grainy footage pretty much up to 1080p and also, on very old films which ran faster than reality; it may be called "interlacing" but AI can make it look "normal" although I don't understand the technicalities of it all!

So AI is useful in that regard, but every video must explain when AI is being used, as they do with space shots of craft entering Mars or planets with atmosphere.

 

[Lloyds siding]

It's getting to be pointless watching YouTube because so much of their content is AI 'voiced', 'created' or 'totally made-up'..then there's the even more hopeless 'Royal rumours', asylum seeker hotels, next uprising of 'loyal locals', 'spectacular road crashes' etc., etc, ...it's only going to get worse.
I'm using the internet less and less, there used to lots of content by real experts and communicators, whereas now so much is totally made-up with click-bait headlines.

 

[Howardh]

It's getting to be pointless watching YouTube because so much of their content is AI 'voiced', 'created' or 'totally made-up'..then there's the even more hopeless 'Royal rumours', asylum seeker hotels, next uprising of 'loyal locals', 'spectacular road crashes' etc., etc, ...it's only going to get worse.
I'm using the internet less and less, there used to lots of content by real experts and communicators, whereas now so much is totally made-up with click-bait headlines.

Very little of that on mine, think you need to do a complete reset (clear cookies etc) and start afresh! I do spend a lot of time, however, on removing content and clicking on "don't like this channel/subject" - although if I want to watch stuff which may be AI generated simply false I would use youtube as "guest" so my algorithms are untouched!

There's a lot of Geoff Marshall, Tim Traveller, various rail/tram sites and some political commentary on my feed; and the usual football/cricket/music stuff which is mostly appropriate.

Mind you, I do get all the attention-seeking "bussed-in loyal locals" etc on twitter, which is an absolute minefield of garbage these days. Must be hard explaining to children what's real and what isn't.

 

[Lloyds siding]

Very little of that on mine, think you need to do a complete reset (clear cookies etc) and start afresh! I do spend a lot of time, however, on removing content and clicking on "don't like this channel/subject" - although if I want to watch stuff which may be AI generated simply false I would use youtube as "guest" so my algorithms are untouched!

There's a lot of Geoff Marshall, Tim Traveller, various rail/tram sites and some political commentary on my feed; and the usual football/cricket/music stuff which is mostly appropriate.

Mind you, I do get all the attention-seeking "bussed-in loyal locals" etc on twitter, which is an absolute minefield of garbage these days. Must be hard explaining to children what's real and what isn't.

I don't have 'history' switched on, and what cookies I have won't be linked to that sort of stuff, and cleared cookies not long ago.

 

[AlterEgo]

I don't have 'history' switched on, and what cookies I have won't be linked to that sort of stuff, and cleared cookies not long ago.

That's your issue. YouTube isn't being allowed to learn what you actually like.