Does upscaling video with AI need disclosure on YouTube?
No, YouTube lists video sharpening, upscaling and repair as not needing disclosure. The exception is an edit that also changes what a real event shows.
No. YouTube's disclosure page lists "video sharpening, upscaling or repair" among the edits that do not need a disclosure. The rule targets realistic content that is generated or meaningfully altered, and raising resolution on footage you already have is not on that list.
The YouTube facts are from its disclosure help page, read 2026-09-29. Sume's video upscale is a job you can run from the API or from MCP; see the MCP tools list.
What else does YouTube exempt?
The page groups upscaling with other polish.
| Edit | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Video sharpening, upscaling or repair | Not needed |
| Beauty filters, color adjustment, special effects filters | Not needed |
| Voice or audio repair | Not needed |
| Generating a realistic scene that did not occur | Needed |
Does the exemption cover a clip I generated?
No. The exemption is about the upscale step, not the source. If the clip came from a video model and shows a realistic scene that did not occur, that generation is what triggers the label, and upscaling it afterwards does not undo that. Upscale a real recording and there is nothing to disclose from that step alone.
How do I upscale a clip with Sume?
Sume's API has a Video Upscale 1.0 request that takes a public HTTPS video_url, a scale_ratio (default 2), an enhancement_tier of fast, standard or pro (default fast), and a duration_seconds hint of at most 30. The MCP tool is video_upscale_create.
When would an upscale still need a label?
When you do more than upscale. If the same edit also alters footage of a real event or makes a real person appear to say something they did not, the exemption for the upscale does not cover that other change. Judge the finished video against the three realistic cases on the page.
What limits apply to a Sume upscale job?
The request needs a public HTTPS video_url, and its duration_seconds hint is for the admit reservation: omit it to reserve 5 seconds, with a maximum of 30. Because the clip is fetched from a public URL, host a copy you are allowed to share. Choose fast, standard or pro for the enhancement tier; the default is fast.
Should I note the upscale anywhere?
Not for YouTube, since the page exempts it. But keep the original file next to the upscaled one in your project. If a viewer later asks whether the footage was changed, the pair shows that only resolution changed.
Is upscaling a generated clip a different case?
Only in what you started with. A generated clip that shows a realistic scene already meets one of YouTube's three cases before any upscale, and the upscale neither adds nor removes that duty. The Sume request is the same either way: it takes a public HTTPS link and knows nothing about how the source was made.
Sources
Related posts
More in Use cases
- YouTube video A/B test: how to make three hook cuts
YouTube says video A/B testing is coming for up to three cuts. Make three cuts of one take that share an ending and differ only in the hook, at $0.02 each.
- YouTube video A/B testing: up to three cuts or thumbnails
YouTube says video A/B testing for up to three cuts is coming soon. Today's tool tests up to 3 titles and thumbnails; not Shorts. How to prepare variants.
- AI album cover generator: square art at 3000×3000
Generate square album art, then upscale: Apple recommends at least 3000×3000. On Sume, generate 2400×2400 and upscale it 1.25× to reach 3000×3000.
- AI avatar for online course videos: build and update lessons
Use an AI avatar as your online course instructor: one reusable avatar, a short talking video per section, captions, and one Timeline join per lesson.
Written by Sume