Nvidia‘s much-criticized DLSS 5 trailer has been blocked on YouTube over an alleged copyright claim. When the tech demo first premiered in March, it instantly stirred up controversy over the extent of its AI-driven upscaling, which many users referred to as “AI slop.” Now, Nvidia seems to have another issue on its hands related to the video, this time over an unusual copyright issue.
The past few years have been momentous for the graphics card manufacturer. A recent report revealed that Nvidia now accounts for over 90% of the PC GPU market, and the AI boom of the 2020s has pushed it to become one of the world’s most valuable companies. However, that massive presence also means increased public scrutiny, and the GPU giant has recently found itself on the wrong side of audiences’ favor.
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Nvidia’s DLSS 5 Trailer Hit with Copyright Strike
As discovered by gaming content creator NikTek, Nvidia’s controversial DLSS 5 announcement is no longer watchable on YouTube, thanks to a copyright strike. The notice that now appears instead of the actual video says La7 has blocked the trailer on copyright grounds, and according to NikTek, Nvidia is not the only account affected by this move. NikTek alleges that La7, an Italian media company, used a portion of the DLSS 5 trailer in a news segment and has now filed copyright claims against “every” video using the footage that appeared in its report. While none of this information is present in the user-facing notice, several other content creators in NikTek’s replies corroborated the claims.
Plenty of users have spoken out about YouTube’s easily abused copyright strike system. Some creators have even received fake DMCA takedown notices on YouTube as scammers impersonated companies like Nintendo and took advantage of how easy it is to issue copyright strikes on the platform to try and extort others. There’s no reason to believe La7 is attempting to extort anyone in this instance, but if the company is trying to lay claim to Nvidia’s footage as NikTek and others allege, it wouldn’t be the first time someone has pushed YouTube’s copyright system to extremes.
For now, it’s unclear if this narrative around La7’s copyright claim is true or how far it goes. All that is known for certain is that the DLSS 5 trailer has been blocked and La7’s name is attached to the notice. Regardless of the details, it is an interesting twist of fate, considering how the copyright conversation around AI usually involves generative models infringing on artists’ protected works, but that’s not the apparent issue in this case. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has said DLSS 5 “is very different than generative AI,” and technology simply upscales existing work rather than creating new content.
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It’s unclear how this copyright situation will play out from here, but for now, it adds another layer to Nvidia’s recent troubles. While some industry insiders, including Bethesda’s Todd Howard, have praised Nvidia’s DLSS 5 technology, many gamers have issued harsh critiques of its visuals and impact on the broader industry. Amid this controversy, a DMCA takedown is likely not the kind of complication the company wants, even if it ultimately comes out that Nvidia is not at fault in the situation.
