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Define who led the creative process with our 5-level Human-AI Spectrum. Rubrics for writers, visual artists, musicians, and voice actors. VH3+ certifies human-made work. Our Human - AI Collaborative Spectrum FLEXIBILITY IN LABELING CREATED WORK You can use AI tools and still be VerifiedHuman™ certified. The VerifiedHuman mark applies to work rated VH3 or above—where you lead the creative process and AI assists. Think of it like Fair Trade coffee: a producer can make both Fair Trade and conventional products. The label goes on what meets the standard, not everything they make. You can be a VerifiedHuman member and create both certified work and AI-generated work. Just use the mark only on work that qualifies. What the spectrum measures The spectrum answers one question: Who led the creative process? These rubrics help creators and organizations clearly communicate how much of a work is human-created versus AI-generated—and who made the essential creative decisions. VH3 is the certification line— the creator must lead VH1 Entirely AI-generated ✗ Below line VH2 AI-led, human-directed ✗ Below line VH3 Human-led, AI-assisted ✓ Minimum VH4 Human-created, AI-enhanced ✓ Certifiable VH5 Entirely human. No AI. ✓ Certifiable VerifiedHuman labels may include a VH rating when applicable, but only levels VH3 and above qualify for the VerifiedHuman mark. Quick links → Writing Rubric Visual Arts Rubric Music Rubric Voice Acting Rubric Content Creation Rubric Writing Rubric Definitions for Writers → Standard for Writers → A continuum for assessing the level of collaboration between human and artificial intelligence in the writing process. VH5 - Entirely Human-Written The writer selected and arranged every word without generative AI Traditional writing tools (spell-check, word processors, thesauruses) are fine The work reflects the writer's voice, perspective, and creative decisions VH4 - Human-Written, AI-Enhanced The writer selected and arranged every word Generative AI may assist with non-writing tasks: research, outlining, brainstorming, grammar suggestions, citation formatting The writer's voice and creative decisions dominate; AI supports the process but doesn't generate the prose VH3 - Human-Led, AI-Assisted The writer leads the creative process; AI contributes but doesn't control AI may generate raw material (drafts, passages, ideas), but the writer substantially transforms it The final work reflects the writer's voice and choices—not AI output with minor edits Apply the Five-Word Principle as a gut-check: if you're pasting AI phrases unchanged, you haven't transformed the material VH2 - AI-Led, Human-Directed AI generates most of the content; the human provides direction, prompts, and oversight The human may edit or curate AI output, but doesn't substantially transform it The final work reflects AI's selection and arrangement of words, shaped by human guidance VH1 - Entirely AI-Generated AI generates the content with no meaningful human involvement beyond prompting The human's role is limited to initiating and accepting the output The final work is AI's selection and arrangement of words Back to top ↑ Visual Arts Rubric Rubric Definitions for Visual Artists → Standard for Visual Artists → A continuum for assessing the level of collaboration between human and artificial intelligence in the creation of visual art. It's important to note that visual arts encompass a wide range of mediums, including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, architecture, dance, and other visible art forms. VH5 - Entirely Human-Written The artist captured or created all visual elements without generative AI Traditional tools (color correction, exposure adjustment, image editing, CAD) are fine The work reflects the artist's vision, perspective, and creative decisions VH4 - Human-Created, AI-Enhanced The artist captured or created all visual elements Generative AI may assist with non-visual tasks: research, reference gathering, written briefs, and technical documentation The artist's vision and creative decisions dominate; AI supports the workflow but doesn't generate visual content VH3 - Human-Led, AI-Assisted The artist leads the creative process; AI contributes but doesn't control AI may generate raw material (reference images, variations, components), but the artist substantially transforms it The final work reflects the artist's vision and choices—not AI output with minor edits Apply the Capture or Arrangement Principle as a gut-check: if you're using AI-generated elements unchanged, you haven't transformed the material VH2 - AI-Led, Human-Directed AI generates most of the visual content; the human provides direction, prompts, and oversight The human may edit or curate AI output, but doesn't substantially transform it The final work reflects AI's generation and arrangement of visual elements, shaped by human guidance VH1 - Entirely AI-Generated AI generates the visual content with no meaningful human involvement beyond prompting The human's role is limited to initiating and accepting the output The final work is AI's generation and arrangement of visual elements Back to top ↑ Music Rubric Definitions for Musicians → Standard for Musicians → A continuum for assessing the level of collaboration between human and artificial intelligence in the process of creating music. VH5 - Entirely Human-Composed The musician selected and arranged all notes, sounds, and beats without generative AI Traditional tools (pitch correction, timing, mixing, mastering, effects) are fine The work reflects the musician's creativity, expression, and artistic decisions VH4 - Human-Composed, AI-Enhanced The musician selected and arranged all notes, sounds, and beats Generative AI may assist with non-composition tasks: lyric prompts, research, reference tracks, and technical documentation The musician's creativity and artistic decisions dominate; AI supports the workflow but doesn't generate musical content VH3 - Human-Led, AI-Assisted The musician leads the creative process; AI contributes but doesn't control AI may generate raw material (melodies, rhythms, loops, variations), but the musician substantially transforms it The final work reflects the musician's artistic choices—not AI output with minor edits Apply the Five-Note/Five-Beat Principle as a gut-check: if you're using AI-generated sequences unchanged, you haven't transformed the material VH2 - AI-Led, Human-Directed AI generates most of the musical content; the human provides direction, prompts, and oversight The human may edit or curate AI output, but doesn't substantially transform it The final work reflects AI's selection and arrangement of musical elements, shaped by human guidance VH1 - Entirely AI-Generated AI generates the music with no meaningful human involvement beyond prompting The human's role is limited to initiating and accepting the output The final work is AI's selection and arrangement of notes, sounds, and beats Back to top ↑ Voice Acting Rubric Definitions for Voice Actors → Standard for Voice Actors → A continuum for assessing the level of collaboration between human and artificial intelligence in the production of spoken audio content. Note: Voice acting differs from other creative domains. The core question isn't whether you transformed AI material—it's whether a human voice or a synthetic voice speaks. At VH3 and above, the voice must be human. VH5 - Entirely Human-Performed The voice actor performed all vocal content without generative AI Traditional tools (noise reduction, EQ, compression, mastering) are fine The work reflects the performer's voice, interpretation, and emotional expression VH4 - Human-Performed, AI-Enhanced The voice actor performed all vocal content Generative AI may assist with non-performance tasks: script generation, research, session notes, and technical documentation The performer's voice and artistic choices dominate; AI supports the workflow but doesn't generate vocal content VH3 - Human-Led, AI-Assisted The voice actor leads the performance; AI contributes to production but doesn't replace the human voice AI may assist with significant production elements (heavy processing, timing adjustments), but the core vocal performance is human The final work reflects the performer's voice and interpretation—not AI-generated or AI-cloned vocals If the voice itself is AI-generated, it's not human performance VH2 - AI-Led, Human-Directed AI generates most of the vocal content; the human provides direction, prompts, and oversight The human may edit or curate AI-generated voice output, but the voice itself is synthetic The final work reflects AI-generated vocals, shaped by human guidance VH1 - Entirely AI-Generated AI generates the vocal content with no meaningful human involvement beyond prompting The human's role is limited to initiating and accepting the output The final work is AI-generated voice synthesis Back to top ↑ Content Creation Rubric Definitions for Content Creators → Standard for Content Creators → A continuum for assessing the level of collaboration between human and artificial intelligence in the production of multi-format content. VH5 - Entirely Human-Produced The creator conceived, developed, and assembled all content elements without generative AI Traditional production tools (video editing software, graphic design tools, audio mixing, scheduling platforms, CMS systems, SEO tools) are fine The work reflects the creator's vision, voice, and editorial decisions across every element VH4 - Human-Produced, AI-Enhanced The creator conceived, developed, and assembled all content elements Generative AI may assist with non-creative production tasks: research, transcription, metadata, SEO suggestions, caption formatting, scheduling optimization The creator's voice and editorial decisions dominate; AI supports the workflow but doesn't generate the content itself VH3 - Human-Led, AI-Assisted The creator leads the content strategy and creative direction; AI contributes but doesn't control AI may generate raw material (draft copy, image options, audio cleanup, rough edits), but the creator substantially transforms and integrates those elements The final work reflects the creator's editorial vision and voice — not assembled AI outputs with minor adjustments Apply the Replacement Principle as a gut-check: if you stripped away every AI-generated element, would the creative vision still hold? VH2 - AI-Led, Human-Directed AI generates most content elements; the human provides direction, prompts, and oversight The human may edit or curate AI output, but doesn't substantially transform or integrate it The final work reflects AI-generated elements assembled with human guidance VH1 - Entirely AI-Generated AI generates the content with no meaningful human involvement beyond prompting The human's role is limited to initiating and accepting the output The final work is AI-generated elements across formats Back to top ↑ The VerifiedHuman ™ Human–AI Spectrum is a 5-level framework for certifying human-made creative work. It defines how much of a work is human-created versus AI-generated, and identifies who led the creative process. Creators, educators, and organizations use it to communicate transparently about human authorship in writing, visual arts, music, voice acting, and content creation.

VerifiedHuman certifies human-made creative work across eight categories. Like Fair Trade for creativity. Creators certified across 25+ countries on six continents. Creators in 25+ countries across six continents THE GLOBAL HUMAN-MADE STANDARD The people who want human work are looking for a signal. Give them one. Fair Trade for creative work — a simple mark that says a human made this. Get the mark → A tale of two photos . Some images tell human stories. Some tell no stories at all. This is the line we've drawn. And how you can stand on the human side of it. Real. 1936 The story of a woman , a mother , a survivor . Lange photographed Florence in a pea-pickers' camp during the Great Depression. See her story ↗ PHOTOGRAPHER | Dorothea Lange SUBJECT | Florence Owens Thompson This picture captures a real moment in history. Generated. 2023 An image of a "woman" who never existed . Compare her story ↗ ARTIST | Boris Eldagsen and AI SUBJECT | None This AI-generated image won the Sony World Photography contest in 2023. Join in three simple steps. Free to join · Pay what you can · Setup in 2 minutes 01 Choose your standard. Find the standard that fits your work. Eight categories across creative disciplines and advocacy. See example → 02 Join the movement. This isn't surveillance — it's a voluntary commitment to transparency. You decide how AI fits into your process, and you own that decision honestly. See example → 03 Show the world. And show your audience the work is real. See example → Free to join · Pay what you can · Setup in 2 minutes Choose your standard. Find the standard for your work — across eight categories, every discipline. Advocate for us "I support VerifiedHuman." for Organizations "We value human work." for Educators "We're building people." for Content Creators "This is my content." for Voice Actors "This is my voice." for Musicians "These are my songs." for Visual Artists "These are my images." for Writers "These are my words." People win. Every image here was taken by a VerifiedHuman photographer 0 standards for creative fields 20 0 founded 2 years before the conversation 0 countries with creators across 6 continents $ 0 pay what you can no minimum required The book behind the movement Human Is the New Vinyl We built VerifiedHuman to protect and celebrate human creativity. Human Is the New Vinyl explains why human creativity still matters — and why it always will. AI isn't evil . AI is easy . And easy has a way of winning — even when it shouldn't. Get the book Join VerifiedHuman Pay what you can • No minimum required • Setup in 2 minutes Your audience used to assume your work was human. Now they need a signal. Give them one. Stay connected. Get occasional updates about the movement. Email* Get updates

The VerifiedHuman origin story. From discovering AI text-to-image generation in 2022 to building a global movement protecting human creativity. Creators in 25 countries across six continents • Established in 2023 our story How a conversation with my son became a global standard . Summer 2022 to today — told in the moments that mattered. THE NARRATIVE This narrative documents the development of VerifiedHuman. We hope the story continues. Summer 2022 Introducing › Midjourney & Stable Diffusion My son Ethan (a computer science major headed for AI dev) shows me text-to-image generation (Midjourney and Stable Diffusion). He says, "Dad, these can create totally novel pictures using whatever words you give them. Try it!" I reply, "Tell it to draw a half-Asian guy installing a vent fan in a small bathroom, angry." (me) It produces several stylized graphics, impressionistic renderings, and even photorealistic versions of me doing exactly what I was doing in that instant–images that didn't exist in the universe 30 seconds earlier. Some are not remarkable, but others are staggeringly good. That's crazy, son. I feel bad for portrait artists. NOVember 2022 Introducing › ChatGPT Ethan shows me ChatGPT. We play around with it and have it write us a few prosaic pieces, essays, poems, and other random content. Wow. This is insane. Students are going to love this. Teachers, not so much. What does it all mean? DECEMBER 2022 – FEBRUARY 2023 Meta-awareness of AI grows Media coverage of AI advancement has increased dramatically. AI-related stories feature multiple times daily on every channel. Reporting levels range from alarmist to verifying AI's benefits to humanity. Theme: no one knows what's going to happen. MARCH 2023 Elon Musk & Steve Wozniak ask for a six-month moratorium on AI development Remember that one time when the co-founder of Apple and the Let's-go-to-Mars-guru asked, "Can we just tap the brakes a minute?" Haha! What? This news physically stopped me in my tracks. I had to stop and think about what I was hearing. There are signs of fear and chaos from behind the curtain. World-renowned portrait photographer Jeremy Cowart weighs in In an email to his newsletter list titled "Houston, we have a problem." World-respected Jeremy Cowart describes being unable to tell the difference between some AI-generated photos and actual photos of real people (taken by real people). If Jeremy Cowart (who has done global projects for the UN and meticulously studied hundreds of thousands of human portraits) can't tell the difference, who can? Houston, indeed we have a problem. Levi Strauss announces using AI to make better-fitting jeans › The market hates it Why is AI OK to make better phones and cars but not jeans? Hm. I don't know. There is something about people's relationship with their Levis that they don't want AI to mess with. There is some illusory human sensibility at work, but the dynamic is difficult to understand or articulate. APRIL 2023 My friend Brian plus two wedge salads › We will assume AI–unless proven otherwise My good friend, Brian Conn, and I went to lunch and ruminated on all the preceding fodder as we enjoyed a couple of delicious wedge salads. By the end of lunch, we had arrived at the following conclusion: A day is coming when the default assumption will be, "I am going to assume AI made this unless you can prove otherwise." It is not only plausible, not only possible. It is almost inevitable. And it's a massive problem. Legislation › not the whole answer How can our constitutional system affect the outcome? This is a good question. Laws can't be written big enough for this. Laws are only societal strictures established to govern most public human behavior. Laws are shaped, guided, and powered by an appeal to common ethical assumptions. E.G., We do not kill people just because it's against the law. And most people try to do their best to parse the impossibly complex tax code and be honest in reporting taxes. Though the fear of getting audited is real, the chances are slim. Most people are honest because they don't want to commit fraud and cheat the system consciously. Most people care about being as honest as they can. The power of the ethic of truth and honesty should not be dismissed. It is paramount in this effort. In short, the human ethical spirit remains intact, and we must leverage it. AI ratting out AI › can't be the solution › I have been following the digital watermarking or block-chain style embedding discussions as I can, but I haven't seen the relevance. AI doesn't simply copy (or plagiarize)–AI produces novel content. AI is creating "original" work. And it's not copying anyone. It's copying everyone. › I also have a hunch that, try as we might, attempts to develop AI-detection technology are almost as sure to fail as a dog's attempt to catch its tail. Like Joshua, the WOPR supercomputer in War Games, it becomes an endless game of no-one-can-win-global-thermal nuclear war. The supercomputer engages in a self-crafted, self-administered learning exercise with incredible computational power and finally comes to a beneficent conclusion. We don't have to burn the world to the ground. Shall we play a game of chess? Micah starts calling his friends › Are any smart, powerful people talking about ethics? I begin contacting personal friends in various strata of society to ask them if I was crazy. Is an ethical solution like the VerifiedHuman model worth pursuing? I invite 25 friends (and friends of theirs) to be advisors in developing this project. Some are still considering how they might contribute, others advise as needed, and a few are actively helping form a business plan and marketing strategy. A uniquely human solution to a socio-economic-technological problem? Humans are a unique species. We are the only living things that use complex language. And we are good at creating things that can kill us. But we also work in ways only humans can, fueled by things transcending laws and technological advancements. These things are a part of the human spirit and are made evident by our behavior. These are the ethics, principles, moral compass, and values and our exercising of them in how we live. We tell the truth because the truth matters. When we lie, others suffer harm, and we also suffer injury. We believe the general human disposition is to raise what is right, what is just, and what is equitable. It is on the strength of this human instinct–the value of truth–that we draw unquantifiable equity. An agreed-upon standard as an approach Creating a broadly understood standard is an excellent place to start. It must be straightforward–a statement a nine-year-old poet in Minnesota or a Harvard-educated solid-state physicist could easily understand and agree to. The standard conveys the following. Hey, world, I made this. A machine didn't make this. The standard must be unencumbered by legal jargon and a litany of definitions, so an accompanying pro forma needs to be developed, providing: A definition of terms in straightforward, transparent language What the standard means What the standard does not mean FAQ: A set of shared assumptions and questions reasonable people would bring to the presentation of any ethic MAY 2023 – 2024 A to-do list › Impossibly huge implications Since we all use AI in many ways, work must be done to delineate the difference between AI-ASSISTED and AI-CREATED. Let's talk about education We envision a future where students and teachers can cooperate and learn how to incorporate AI technology into the pedagogical (teaching/learning) experience. In a world where teachers and students have access to the same powerful tools, to the same technology, and information, where students often learn about and become proficient with understanding new technology before their teachers, the academy has a vested interest in preserving and leveraging the teacher's lived experience and calling as an educator. Students and parents have a vested interest in students learning how to create original, inspired work, in learning how to read, write, think, create images, and compose music - even by utilizing the latest advances in technology to produce work at levels far beyond what was imaginable even one year ago. Let's talk about organizations Work must be done to develop an organizational ethic that says, We have to automate; we have to take advantage of the edge AI can give us in the industry, but we also need to protect human workers. Even if we have to change our company's fundamental structure, we will figure out how to remain competitive in the market, to produce more and better, but do so with as many people as possible. Let's talk about global impact I have said, "This isn't the civilization-ending part of the problem we are discussing. It's just the differentiation part." The two are more closely related than I initially thought. It's all happening simultaneously. Human operators "tweak the dials" on how the content propagates in these AI brains, the neural networks that create these large language models. The learning loop in the networks is almost infinitely complex, self-generative, and unknowable. Networks learning to model language are a perfect example of a "stochastic" process, in which predictable outcomes are possible. Still, the processes by which these outcomes are arrived at are obscured by incalculable randomness and seemingly infinite, minute layers of complexity. Human-to-LLM interfaces can be filtered so that some data pass through while others are suppressed, which inherently introduces human bias. One thing is sure - what Elon Musk and others fear is real: a system of information so vast and so collective that it is manipulable by humans but also manipulates by propagating and amalgamating vast quantities of language. And language–words–are the conduit that drives all human progress forward. That's a lot. One positive way to see this is AI's potential to drive the world toward human equity. That is, to rightly place value on the individual human contribution in a world controlled by influential people with privileged access to resources. If we succeed, we can shine a light on the single artist or the humble laborer. In this way, "verified human" takes on much more significance than establishing a model for human-AI media differentiation. The model becomes a global appreciation of intrinsic human value. Market value This model will only have value if the ethic behind it means something to the creators of the work. It will be valuable if it has equity and credibility with the intended market or audience. As of this writing, we have yet to determine the economic structure of this venture. One example of monetization, apart from an individual subscription model (licensing the use of the VerifiedHuman mark or name), would be to sell verification subscriptions to schools per teacher/student. A "gold standard" of verification could be offered, one that went beyond the notion of a creator's verification-by-self and included a proactive audit of student work in a given school year. Legislation Laws can help support an ethic, but legislation historically lags. It is not foreseeable whether our legislative system (in the US) will continue to lose pace with technological advancement (as it has for the past four decades since the proliferation of the home computer, the past three decades since the growth of the internet, and the past two decades since the rise of the smartphone). Attorneys General are now very concerned with sub-par products being marketed and sold largely because of positive reviews written by AI, not by real people. AI Assistance Technology can assist the standard in detection and validation but has obvious limitations, such as rendering false positives or being evaded by detection scrubbing. Enforcement Organizations like Fairtrade have created models worth exploring. Compliance with standards can be motivated by subjection to simple verification, like someone calling a creator and asking, How'd you make this picture? When and where was it created? What kind of software are you using in your work? Or via more comprehensive auditing systems. If people accept and use the VerifiedHuman standard and it is discovered they do not comply with it, they could be subject to revocation of the right to use, public exposure, or even litigation in cases of gross misconduct. Enforcement of the standard requires more attention. Enlisting the services of an auditing organization (like ISEAL, in cooperation with ETS, NASM, SACS, etc.) is in development now. MORE TO FOLLOW ... lnʞsʇᴉɹɐɹoʌ ɥɐɔᴉɯ ⬢ about the FOUNDER Micah Voraritskul Micah founded VerifiedHuman in April 2023, almost two years before mainstream AI certification conversations began. Today the platform serves certified creators across 25+ countries on six continents. He's the author of Human Is the New Vinyl — a book that asks what we stand to lose in the age of machine-made everything, and argues that the answer is differentiation, not resistance. After 25 years in Richmond, Virginia's creative community, he now works from Southeast Tennessee.

Read endorsements from filmmakers, educators, business leaders, and creators supporting VerifiedHuman. Industry voices championing authentic human creativity. ENDORSEMENTS The Company We Keep Hear from the experts we didn't have to convince. Incredibly helpful model for creators like me and my partners... CRAIG MARTIN Emmy-nominated producer, The Good Road | Publisher, The Philanthropy Journal "Finally, there is someone addressing the critical issues surrounding AI, distinguishing between human-generated and computer-generated AI projects. Micah has carefully crafted a certification service that I know will be incredibly useful to creators like me and my partners." Advocating for the value of human trust... ANDY EDMUNDS Director, Virginia Film Office "These years mark a pivotal shift in our relationship with technology. AI will continue to amplify human innovation in positive ways. Wide adoption of the VerifiedHuman ™ label defends and advocates for human creativity by weaponizing the uniquely human behavior of trust." This current effort will have a huge impact... CAROLYN STRAND NORMAN Chair of Accounting, Virginia Commonwealth University | Ph.D., Texas A&M "At his core, Micah is a tireless visionary who makes connections others only see after he describes them. This effort will have a huge impact as we move forward with shocking speed alongside technology that will forever alter how we interact as humans." Honest media in an age of instant creation and communication... JIM WASHOK AI & Customer Experience Consultant "Global events have tested our ability to verify the origins of goods, ads, and news. AI can be a powerful tool, but it can also be misused. The promise creators make by certifying their work VerifiedHuman™ provides truth in sourcing what we see, hear, and read." VerifiedHuman™ preserves the one human thing... RYAN EMMONS VP of Information Technology, Luck Companies "AI will always be lacking in its ability to reproduce the essence of a story behind every human-created piece of art. VerifiedHuman™ preserves the one thing that distinguishes humans from everything else—our ability to create something real and meaningful." VerifiedHuman™ is setting the stage for integrity... LAURA SWANSON BOWSER B2B Consultant, Strategy & Finance "Honesty and transparency can start with us. That's what VerifiedHuman™ is at its core. This is a collective—a movement led by artists, musicians, educators, and business leaders worldwide who are setting the stage for leadership in AI integrity." An important early entry into this space... DURWOOD SNEAD President, Forsyth Descendants Foundation "Was it really created by a human or just a product of intelligent software? It's difficult to be assured of the integrity of any created product. VerifiedHuman™ is an important early entry into this space, helping assure us of human creation in a world of confusing, programmatic creativity." Guardians of transparency of human creative contribution... GLEN SHEEHAN Creative & Brand Consultant "We are past a tipping point. AI is challenging and redefining human value and contribution to ideas and intellectual property. It is critical that platforms like VerifiedHuman™ help guide, inform, and be guardians of transparency of human creative contribution to the world ahead of us." Confidence and credibility in creative expression... DANIEL ALLEN Founder, CAT3 Leadership Advisors "Creative expression is central to what it means to be human. Subscribing to the standards set by VerifiedHuman™ will enable confidence and credibility in the exchange between artists, authors, and educators and their various constituencies." The framework between human innovation and pre-trained AI... BILL FARNHAM Partner, Astreya "Generative AI is an inflection point. No longer can we assume stories, songs, or art are solely products of human creativity. VerifiedHuman™ is a system for distinguishing human innovation from AI outputs—a commitment to transparency and recognizing the value of human-made work." Authenticity matters... ANNA WOLOSHKO Creative Director, Lux Basics "Original human-created visual art and the authentic human-written word matter and must be protected. I am certifying all my future work with VerifiedHuman™ starting today." Harnessing the power of AI in service to humanity... JOSH MCMANUS Founder, For-Purpose PBC "VerifiedHuman™ is a huge step in harnessing the power of AI in service to humanity and not the other way around. By knowing what is made by a human and what is made by a machine, we can build checks, balances, and fair systems to further accelerate human progress." Made by people for people... PAUL RUSTAND Chief Design Officer, Whiteboard "Creativity—art, writing, music, design—is most powerful because it's something made by people for other people. Creativity enriches life. While AI can be beneficial, there is still a need and a place for genuine human expression. VerifiedHuman™ helps promote and celebrate our core ambition." VerifiedHuman™ helps human live responsibly and ethically... TOMMY THOMPSON Author & Podcaster, Space for Life "The world is changing before our eyes. VerifiedHuman™ addresses the one unchanging part of the equation—human beings trying to live responsibly and ethically. Regardless of what technological solutions come, we will always need the human element—verified!" Being fully human... BOB LAUGHLIN Performing Arts Producer "There is a great need in all of us to know the heart and soul of being fully human. VerifiedHuman™ is safeguarding it." Preserving the last gift... LEE INSKO Partner, 5 Degrees Branding "VerifiedHuman™ has launched at just the right time in this rapidly changing world of technology. The unique work of artists, students, and businesses must be supported and protected at all costs. VerifiedHuman values the vital role of technology and innovation, but most importantly, values people." Preserving the last gift... CASEY TEMPLETON Commercial Photographer "The last gift an artist has to give this world is their art. Without art, the artist is forgotten too quickly. VerifiedHuman™ is a time stamp to ensure artists are remembered." VerifiedHuman™ provides an ethical framework to follow... EMILY ROIG Singer-Songwriter & Educator "Story makes up the fabric of human existence. Technology is important, but it lacks the authentic, raw, vulnerable stories that make up our uniquely human experiences. As a musician and educator, VerifiedHuman™ helps ensure my creative work stays connected to its human source—the solution I didn't know existed until now." Now and for future generations... MICHAEL HODGES Multimedia & Film Producer "Creativity in communication and creation is a unique part of our human experience. We should celebrate these in our life, work, and education. VerifiedHuman™ is vital to elevate these values as we navigate new digital landscapes now and for future generations." VerifiedHuman™ is helping us walk the line... PATRICK MOYNIHAN President Emeritus, Louverture Cleary School of Haiti | Brown University Public Service Award "In a world where human-created art is being replaced by AI spinoffs like cane sugar was replaced by high fructose corn syrup, I say, 'No!' VerifiedHuman™ is helping us walk the line. All artists borrow from past artists, but AI pays no homage or price." Now and for future generations... TYRUBEN ELLINGSON Chair of Cinema, VCU | Visual effects, Avatar & Jurassic Park "As artificial intelligence mirrors our competencies and technology disrupts old norms, the human narrative grounds us. VerifiedHuman™ will assist us in navigating accelerating change. Our shared chronicles are inked not in circuits and code, but in the living, pulsating rhythm of the human condition."

Detailed definitions for writers using VerifiedHuman standards. Five-Word Principle, Essential Authorship, and guidelines for human-authored written work. DEFINITIONS FOR WRITERS Who put the words together? Writers today face a credibility challenge: how do you prove your work is authentically yours when AI can generate convincing prose in seconds? This standard draws a clear line between human authorship and machine generation. Standard for Writers → QUICK NAV Foreword → Definitions in the standard → Other definitions → Interpretation → The Five-Word Principle → Essential Authorship → QUICK REFERENCE The VerifiedHuman label requires VH3 (Human-Led) or higher on the Human-AI Spectrum Essential question : "Who put the words together?" Acceptable AI use : Grammar, spelling, research, translation, outlining, brainstorming Not acceptable : AI-generated sentences or paragraphs you claim as yours. The Five-Word Principle : A gut-check—if you're pasting AI phrases unchanged, you haven't transformed the material Foreword The foundation of this standard is Essential Authorship : who put the words together? Language allows for an infinite number of word combinations. When a human selects and arranges words, they are the essential author. When a machine does it, the machine is the essential author. Written work means the selection and arrangement of words in a meaningful order to be read—phrases and lines that have been written down, typed, or transposed. In an age where AI can generate thousands of words in seconds, readers deserve to know who created what they're reading. This standard helps writers communicate their creative process transparently while maintaining the freedom to use AI as a tool. We support writers who use AI in non-standard ways. For instance, a poet may intentionally use AI to curate, compose, and recombine phrases to create innovative work. They may find the VerifiedHuman label unhelpful on that piece, but use it on another. In this way, we hope to be helpful and encouraging to all writers. Human-AI Collaboration Levels Our 5-level Human-AI Spectrum shows who led the creative process. All VerifiedHuman -labeled work must meet or exceed VH3, meaning the writer led. VH5 - Entirely Human-Written The writer selected and arranged every word without generative AI Traditional writing tools (spell-check, word processors, thesauruses) are fine The work reflects the writer's voice, perspective, and creative decisions VH4 - Human-Written, AI-Enhanced The writer selected and arranged every word. Generative AI may assist with non-writing tasks: research, outlining, brainstorming, grammar suggestions, and citation formatting. The writer's voice and creative decisions dominate; AI supports the process but doesn't generate the prose. VH3 - Human-Led, AI-Assisted The writer leads the creative process; AI contributes but doesn't control AI may generate raw material (drafts, passages, ideas), but the writer substantially transforms it The final work reflects the writer's voice and choices—not AI output with minor edits Apply the Five-Word Principle as a gut-check: if you're pasting AI phrases unchanged, you haven't transformed the material Work below VH3 is not eligible for the VerifiedHuman label. Back to top ↑ Definitions Here are definitions of words and ideas used in the Standard for Writers. Standard A statement of commitment to specific creative practices Writer The author of written work Represent Claim, present, or share work as your own Written work Words selected and arranged in a meaningful order to be read Team A group of people working together Intellectual property A creative work to which one has legal rights, such as copyright or trademark Essential The fundamental elements or characteristics of something Essentially authored When a writer selects and arranges words to create written work. The test: Who put the words together? (see Essential Authorship below) Essential written elements Words Human Noun: a person; Adjective: originating from a person Generative AI AI systems trained on existing content that generate new text, images, audio, code, or video in response to prompts. Examples include ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Machine learning Algorithms that learn from data to make predictions or generate content Other generative processes Any other AI or machine learning process that creates new content Back to top ↑ Other Definitions Other definitions of words and ideas related to the Standard for Writers are here. Artificial Intelligence (AI) A field of computer science focused on creating systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and generating content. AI language model (or Large Language Model (LLM)) AI systems trained on large amounts of text that generate natural-language responses to prompts. Examples include ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Word A single distinct, meaningful element of speech or writing. The basic unit of language and the foundation of Essential Authorship. Back to top ↑ Interpretation Here are two questions that the AI-using writer must interpret independently. The author is responsible for adhering to their own values and judgment. Q : Can I use ChatGPT to write an outline or paper and then rework it in my own words? Some people use language modeling tools to organize their thoughts and structure their writing, particularly for lengthy, complex, or unfamiliar work. They ask the AI to write a draft and then personalize or contextualize it to some extent. Q : Can I have ChatGPT write a paper, read it, and then write my version? Some people ask language modeling tools to generate a draft of what they want to say, then use it as a guide or model for organizing or approaching their work. Here's how to evaluate these approaches: ACCEPTABLE : Using AI for an outline, then writing from scratch in your own voice. The AI provided structure. You provided all the words. GRAY AREA : Reading an AI draft, then heavily rewriting (50%+ your own words). Ask yourself: Did you truly rewrite, or just edit? Use the Five-Word Principle as a gut-check. NOT ACCEPTABLE : Copy-pasting AI-generated sentences with minor edits. If the AI assembled the words, the AI wrote that sentence—even if you changed a few words. The question remains: Who put the words together? REAL-WORLD SCENARIO : Article with AI Research Sarah writes a 2,000-word article about climate change. She uses AI to: Summarize 10 scientific papers (research assistance) Suggest article structure (outlining) Check citations for formatting (technical assistance) Run final spell-check (grammar assistance) Sarah writes every sentence herself in her own voice and style. VERDICT : VH4-VH5 (Human-Written, AI-Enhanced / Entirely Human-Written) WHY IT QUALIFIES : AI assisted with research and technical tasks, but Sarah selected and arranged all words. She is the essential author. Back to top ↑ The Five-Word Principle If you're copying and pasting entire thoughts or sentences, you're not doing the writing. You're copying writing done by someone or something else. The Five-Word Principle is a gut-check: if AI wrote five consecutive words that appear unchanged in your final work, that's a sign you haven't transformed the material. Five isn't a magical number—it's just enough to be a recognizable phrase. The spirit of the principle remains in the question: "Did you write it, or did AI write it?" Back to top ↑ Essential Authorship In writing, authors put words together to write lists, lines, sentences, and paragraphs or put sections together to form longer works like letters, papers, reports, and books. Essential authorship of any written work can be established by asking a simple question. The essential question of authorship is: Who put the words together? A simpler way of asking is: Who wrote it? This applies to entire written works or even small portions of written work. Rationale The basic unit of language is the word. Words are put together to form ideas. These ideas can be complete sentences or just collections of words in a line (like phrases). When lines of words or sentences are arranged meaningfully, the result is some form of written work. Assumption of Human Authorship If a human puts words together into lines, phrases, or sentences and arranges them meaningfully, then a human is the essential author. Back to top ↑ VerifiedHuman helps writers certify their work as human-made. Established in April 2023, the standard provides a clear framework for communicating who led the creative process. Free to join, pay what you can. Creators certified across 25+ countries worldwide. Standard for Writers → EXPLORE OTHER DEFINITIONS Visual Artists → | Musicians → | Voice Actors → | Content Creators → LEARN MORE VH Human-AI Spectrum →

Detailed definitions for musicians using VerifiedHuman standards. Five-Note Principle, Essential Composition, and guidelines for human-composed musical work. DEFINITIONS FOR MUSICIANS Who composed it? Musicians today face a credibility challenge : how do you prove your work is authentically yours when AI can generate convincing music instantly? This standard draws a clear line between human composition and machine generation. Standard for Musicians → QUICK NAV Foreword → Definitions in the standard → Other definitions → Interpretation → The Five-Note/Five-Beat Principle → Essential Composition → QUICK REFERENCE The VerifiedHuman label requires VH3 or higher on the Human-AI Spectrum Essential question : "Who composed it?" Acceptable AI use : Pitch correction, timing, mixing, mastering, effects, lyric prompts Not acceptable : AI-generated melodies, rhythms, or compositions you claim as yours The Five-Note/Five-Beat Principle : A gut-check—if you're using AI-generated sequences unchanged, you haven't transformed the material Foreword The foundation of this standard is Essential Composition : who composed it? Music is built from notes, sounds, and beats combined in countless ways. When a human selects and arranges these elements, they are the essential composer. When a machine does it, the machine is the essential composer. Musical work means the selection and arrangement of musical elements—compositions that can be sung, put to words, played, or sampled. With AI capable of composing entire songs, listeners deserve transparency about musical authorship. This standard helps musicians communicate their creative role while embracing evolving production tools. We support musicians who use AI in non-standard ways. For instance, some musicians use AI to generate intentionally curated, composited, and recombined work to form innovative tracks. They may find the VerifiedHuman label unhelpful on that piece, but use it for works created using traditional methods. In this way, we hope to be helpful and encouraging to all musicians. Human-AI Collaboration Levels Our 5-level Human-AI Spectrum shows who led the creative process. All VerifiedHuman -labeled work must meet or exceed VH3 , meaning the musician led. VH5 - Entirely Human-Composed The musician selected and arranged all notes, sounds, and beats without generative AI Traditional tools (pitch correction, timing, mixing, mastering, effects) are fine The work reflects the musician's creativity, expression, and artistic decisions VH4 - Human-Composed, AI-Enhanced The musician selected and arranged all notes, sounds, and beats Generative AI may assist with non-composition tasks: lyric prompts, research, reference tracks, and technical documentation The musician's creativity and artistic decisions dominate; AI supports the workflow but doesn't generate musical content VH3 - Human-Led, AI-Assisted The musician leads the creative process; AI contributes but doesn't control AI may generate raw material (melodies, rhythms, loops, variations), but the musician substantially transforms it The final work reflects the musician's artistic choices—not AI output with minor edits Apply the Five-Note/Five-Beat Principle as a gut-check: if you're using AI-generated sequences unchanged, you haven't transformed the material Work below VH3 is not eligible for the VerifiedHuman label. Using Content of Unknown Origin (AIU) Sometimes, musicians use sounds, tracks, loops, rhythms, and samples where the source material is of unknown origin. In other cases, the musician may suspect that AI has generated some of the material they are using, but the origin, time, place, or purpose is unknown or uncertain. When using musical elements of unknown origin, add the AIU (AI-Unknown) tag to your VH level designation, for example, VH4-AIU. In the spirit of this standard, the question remains: Did you compose it, or did AI compose it? We believe the musician's intention to create and present musical work as their own should always remain with them. Therefore, we urge all musicians to use the Five-Note/Five-Beat Principle as a gut-check and iterate their work in the creative process to ensure that their final product is unique and distinctive. Back to top ↑ Definitions Here are definitions of words and ideas used in the Standard for Musicians. Standard A statement of commitment to specific creative practices Musician The composer (or player/performer) of musical work Represent Claim, present, or share work as your own Musical work Musical elements selected and arranged into compositions that can be sung, put to words, played, or sampled Team A group of people working together Intellectual property A creative work to which one has legal rights, such as copyright or trademark Essential The fundamental elements or characteristics of something Essentially composed When a musician selects and arranges musical elements to create musical work. The test: Who composed it? (see Essential Composition below) Essential musical elements Notes, sounds, and beats—can be heard as songs, melodies, rhythms, or parts Human Noun: a person; Adjective: originating from a person Generative AI AI systems trained on existing content that generate new text, images, audio, code, or video in response to prompts. Examples include ChatGPT, Suno, and Udio. Machine learning Algorithms that learn from data to make predictions or generate content Other generative processes Any other AI or machine learning process that creates new content Back to top ↑ Other Definitions Other definitions of words and ideas related to the Standard for Musicians. Artificial Intelligence (AI) A field of computer science focused on creating systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and generating content. Music generation model AI systems trained on music that generate new audio content in response to prompts. Examples include Suno, Udio, and AIVA. Beat A repeating measure of time Note A musical sound representing a pitch over a duration of time Back to top ↑ Interpretation Here is a question that musicians commonly face when working with AI tools. The musician is responsible for adhering to their own values and exercising their own judgment. Q : Can I use AI-generated music as a starting point for my own version of the song? Here's how to evaluate this approach: ACCEPTABLE : Using AI for inspiration, then composing from scratch. You listened to AI-generated ideas but selected and arranged every note yourself. GRAY AREA : Taking an AI-generated melody and heavily modifying it (50%+ different notes/rhythms). Ask yourself: Who is the composer? Use the Five-Note/Five-Beat Principle as a gut-check. NOT ACCEPTABLE : Using AI-generated sequences with minor edits. If AI selected and arranged the notes or beats, AI composed that music—even if you tweaked it. The question remains: Who composed it? REAL-WORLD SCENARIO : Electronic Track with AI Assistance James creates an electronic dance track. He uses AI to: Generate songwriting prompts for lyrics (idea generation) Apply pitch correction to vocals (technical enhancement) Mix and master the final track (post-production) Add reverb and effects (production tools) James composed every melody, bassline, drum pattern, and chord progression himself. VERDICT : VH4 (Human-Composed, AI-Enhanced) WHY IT QUALIFIES : AI assisted with technical tasks and idea prompts, but James selected and arranged all musical elements. He is the essential composer. Back to top ↑ The Five-Note/Five-Beat Principle If you're copying and pasting entire musical sequences, you're not doing the composing. You're copying composition done by someone or something else. The Five-Note/Five-Beat Principle is a gut-check: if AI selected five consecutive notes or five distinctive beats that appear unchanged in your final work, that's a sign you haven't transformed the material. Five isn't a magical number—it's just enough to be a recognizable sequence. The spirit of the principle remains in the question: "Did you compose it, or did AI compose it?" Back to top ↑ Essential Composition Musicians create compositions by arranging notes, sounds, and beats, forming melodies, rhythms, and songs. The fundamental question that establishes the essential composition of a musical work is: Who or what composed it? This applies to entire scores, songs, or even smaller sequences of musical work. Rationale Music creation is based on two primary elements—the note and the beat. Compositions come to life when notes and beats are arranged in a way that produces audible music. This can be achieved through singing, playing an instrument, sampling, or layering sounds. Assumption of Human Composition If a human puts notes and beats together to produce music that can be experienced meaningfully, then that human is the essential composer. Back to top ↑ VerifiedHuman helps musicians certify their work as human-made. Established in April 2023, the standard provides a clear framework for communicating who led the creative process. Free to join, pay what you can. Creators certified across 25+ countries worldwide. Standard for Musicians → EXPLORE OTHER DEFINITIONS Writers → | Visual Artists → | Voice Actors → | Content Creators → LEARN MORE VH Human-AI Spectrum →

Reach out to VerifiedHuman with questions, partnership inquiries, or feedback. Contact the founder or subscribe for updates on the movement. CONTACT US We'd love to hear from you. Every contact form and email will be answered personally by a real human being. Always. Stay connected Get occasional updates about the movement. Email* Get updates Direct email → Contact founder → Reach out Name* Email* Message* Send info@verifiedhuman.info

Standards and definitions for content creators joining VerifiedHuman. What qualifies as human-made work, the VH1-VH5 spectrum, and certification criteria. DEFINITIONS FOR CONTENT CREATORS Who produced this? Content creators today face a credibility challenge : how do you prove your work is authentically yours when AI can generate compelling content across every format? This standard draws a clear line between human production and machine generation. Standard for Content Creators → QUICK NAV Foreword → Definitions in the standard → Other definitions → Interpretation → The Replacement Principle → Essential Production → QUICK REFERENCE The VerifiedHuman label requires VH3 (Human-Led) or higher on the Human-AI Spectrum Essential question : "Who produced it?" Acceptable AI use : Research, transcription, metadata, SEO suggestions, caption formatting, scheduling tools Not acceptable : AI-generated content elements you claim as yours The Replacement Principle: A gut-check — if you stripped away every AI-generated element, would the creative vision still hold together? Foreword The foundation of this standard is Essential Production : who produced it? Content creation spans formats—text, visuals, audio, video, and design—integrated into a cohesive experience for an audience. When a human conceives, develops, and assembles those elements, they are the essential producer. When a machine does it, the machine is the essential producer. Content is made of creative elements—text, visuals, audio, video, or design—selected and assembled for an audience to experience. It can take the form of a video, newsletter, social media campaign, podcast episode, blog post, or any combination of formats delivered across platforms. Content creators work across mediums. A YouTuber scripts, shoots, edits, and publishes. A newsletter creator blends original writing with curated visuals and design. A social media manager produces posts across text, image, and video formats. A podcaster writes show notes and produces social clips. The common thread: they integrate multiple creative elements into a cohesive product. As AI tools become capable of generating text, images, audio, and video simultaneously, audiences need clarity about who made what they're consuming. This standard helps content creators communicate their creative role while maintaining flexibility across their production tools. We support content creators who use AI in non-standard ways. For instance, some creators may intentionally use AI to generate and recombine elements as part of an experimental or conceptual production. They may find the VerifiedHuman label unhelpful on that piece, but use it for content where they led the creative process. In this way, we hope to be helpful and encouraging to all content creators. Human-AI Collaboration Levels Our 5-level Human-AI Spectrum shows who led the creative process. All VerifiedHuman -labeled work must meet or exceed VH3, meaning the content creator led. VH5 - Entirely Human-Produced The creator conceived, developed, and assembled all content elements without generative AI. Traditional production tools (video editing software, graphic design tools, audio mixing, scheduling platforms, CMS systems, SEO tools) are fine. The work reflects the creator's vision, voice, and editorial decisions across every element. VH4 - Human-Produced, AI-Enhanced The creator conceived, developed, and assembled all content elements. Generative AI may assist with non-creative production tasks: research, transcription, metadata, SEO suggestions, caption formatting, and scheduling optimization. The creator's voice and editorial decisions dominate across every element. AI supports the workflow but doesn't generate the content itself. VH3 - Human-Led, AI-Assisted The creator leads the content strategy and creative direction. AI may generate raw material for individual elements — draft copy, image options, audio cleanup, rough edits — but the creator substantially transforms and integrates those elements into the final product. The finished content reflects the creator's editorial vision and voice, not assembled AI outputs with minor adjustments. Apply the Replacement Principle as a gut-check: if you stripped away every AI-generated element, would the creative vision still hold? Work below VH3 is not eligible for the VerifiedHuman label. Using Content of Unknown Origin (AIU) Sometimes, content creators incorporate elements of uncertain origin into their work. These might include stock assets, template elements, found media, or components where the creation method (human or AI) is unclear. In other cases, creators may suspect that AI has generated some of the material they are using, but the origin, time, place, or purpose is unknown or uncertain. When using content elements of unknown origin, add the AIU (AI-Unknown) tag to your VH level designation, for example, VH4-AIU. In the spirit of this standard, the question remains: Did you produce it, or did AI produce it? We believe the content creator's intention to create and present content as their own should always remain with them. Therefore, we urge all content creators to use the Replacement Principle as a gut check and iterate on their work throughout the creative process to ensure their final product is unique and distinctive. Back to top ↑ Definitions Here are definitions of words and ideas used in the Standard for Content Creators. Standard A statement of commitment to specific creative practices Content Creator The producer of content Represent Claim, present, or share work as your own Content Creative elements — text, visuals, audio, video, or design — selected and assembled to be experienced by an audience Team A group of people working together Intellectual property A creative work to which one has legal rights, such as copyright or trademark Essential The fundamental elements or characteristics of something Essentially produced When a content creator conceives, develops, and assembles elements to create content. The test: Who produced it? (see Essential Production below) Essential content elements Text, visuals, audio, video, and design — can be assembled into posts, videos, newsletters, campaigns, podcasts, or other multi-format works Human Noun: a person; Adjective: originating from a person Generative AI AI systems trained on existing content that generate new text, images, audio, code, or video in response to prompts. Examples include ChatGPT, Canva AI, and Runway. Machine learning Algorithms that learn from data to make predictions or generate content Other generative processes Any other AI or machine learning process that creates new content Back to top ↑ Other Definitions Other definitions of words and ideas related to the Standard for Content Creators. Artificial Intelligence (AI) A field of computer science focused on creating systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and generating content. Content generation tools AI systems that generate text, images, audio, video, or design elements in response to prompts. Examples include ChatGPT, DALL · E, Runway, Canva AI, and ElevenLabs. Multi-format content Content that combines elements across two or more mediums — such as text and video, audio and visuals, or writing and design — into a single work or campaign. Back to top ↑ Interpretation Here are two questions that AI-using content creators must interpret independently. The creator is responsible for adhering to their own values and judgment. Q : What if I used AI to write my newsletter copy, but I shot all the photos and designed the layout myself? Does the whole piece qualify? Content creation involves multiple elements. Each element can sit at a different point on the spectrum. The question is whether the overall production reflects human leadership. Q : What if I use AI to generate social media captions for content I filmed and edited myself? Some creators use AI to handle repetitive production tasks, such as captions, metadata, and scheduling copy, while creating the core content themselves. Here's how to evaluate these approaches: ACCEPTABLE : Using AI for production support (transcription, SEO metadata, scheduling, caption formatting) while you conceive, develop, and assemble the core content. AI handled logistics. You produced the work. GRAY AREA : Using AI-generated copy for one element (like captions or script drafts) while creating all other elements yourself. Ask yourself: Does this element carry the creative weight of the piece? Use the Replacement Principle as a gut-check. NOT ACCEPTABLE : Generating most content elements with AI — text, images, and audio — and assembling them with minor edits. If AI produced the elements and you arranged them, AI did the creative work. Even a well-curated collection of AI outputs is not a human-led production. The question remains: Who produced it? REAL-WORLD SCENARIO : YouTube Video with AI Assistance Alex creates a 15-minute YouTube video about sustainable fashion. Alex uses AI to: Research sustainable brands and summarize findings (research assistance) Generate a transcript of the raw footage for reference (transcription) Suggest SEO-friendly title options (metadata support) Auto-generate closed captions (accessibility tool) Alex wrote the script, filmed all footage, designed the thumbnails, edited the video, and made all creative decisions about pacing, tone, and narrative structure. VERDICT : VH4 (Human-Produced, AI-Enhanced) WHY IT QUALIFIES : AI assisted with research and technical production tasks, but Alex conceived, developed, and assembled all content elements. Alex is the essential producer. Back to top ↑ The Replacement Principle Content creation involves multiple elements working together — text, visuals, audio, video, design. Unlike single-medium work, the question isn't whether one element was AI-generated. It's whether the human led the whole production. The Replacement Principle is a gut-check: if you replaced every AI-generated element in your content with a placeholder, would the creative vision still hold? Would someone watching your process see a human building something — or a human approving things? If you strip away what AI contributed and there's still a clear human editorial throughline — strategy, voice, sequencing, emotional arc, point of view — you're at VH3 or above. If stripping away AI leaves you with prompts and approvals but no creative spine, you're below the line. The spirit of the principle remains in the question: "Did you produce it, or did AI produce it?" Back to top ↑ Essential Production Content creators conceive ideas, develop elements across formats, and assemble them into finished works for an audience. These works can be consumed as videos, newsletters, social posts, podcasts, campaigns, or any combination of formats across platforms. The essential question of production is: Who produced it? A simpler way of asking is: Who made this? This applies to entire content pieces or even individual elements within a piece. Rationale Content creation is built on assembling elements — text, visuals, audio, video, and design — into a cohesive product. When these elements are conceived, developed, and assembled by a human to be experienced meaningfully by an audience, the result is content. Assumption of Essential Human Production If a human conceives, develops, and assembles content elements into a finished work that can be experienced meaningfully, then that human is the essential producer. Back to top ↑ VerifiedHuman helps content creators certify their work as human-made. Established in April 2023, the standard provides a clear framework for communicating who led the creative process. Free to join, pay what you can. Creators certified across 25+ countries worldwide. Standard for Content Creators → EXPLORE OTHER DEFINITIONS Writers → | Visual Artists → | Musicians → | Voice Actors → LEARN MORE VH Human-AI Spectrum →

Detailed definitions for visual artists using VerifiedHuman standards. Capture or Arrangement Principle and guidelines for human-created visual work. DEFINITIONS FOR VISUAL ARTISTS Who created it? Visual artists today face a credibility challenge : how do you prove your work is authentically yours when AI can generate compelling images instantly? This standard draws a clear line between human creation and machine generation. Standard for Visual Artists → QUICK NAV Foreword → Definitions in the standard → Other definitions → Interpretation → The Capture or Arrangement Principle → Essential Creation → QUICK REFERENCE The VerifiedHuman label requires VH3 (Human-Led) or higher on the Human-AI Spectrum Essential question : "Who created it?" Acceptable AI use : Color correction, image editing, technical enhancements, CAD tools Not acceptable : AI-generated visual elements or compositions you claim as yours The Capture or Arrangement Principle: A gut-check—if you're using AI-generated elements unchanged, you haven't transformed the material Foreword The foundation of this standard is Essential Creation : who created it? Visual elements in art can be combined and layered in countless ways. When a human captures or arranges visual elements, they are the essential creator. When a machine does it, the machine is the essential creator. Visual work means the selection and arrangement of visual elements in a medium to be viewed or experienced—images that have been captured or created. As AI image generation becomes ubiquitous, audiences need clarity about artistic authorship. This standard helps artists demonstrate their creative vision while maintaining flexibility in their technical process. We support visual artists who use AI in non-standard ways. For instance, some artists use AI to create intentional combinations of images that form innovative visual work. They may find the VerifiedHuman label unhelpful on that piece, but use it for more traditional work like photographs, paintings, or architectural drawings. In this way, we hope to be helpful and encouraging to all visual artists. Human-AI Collaboration Levels Our 5-level Human-AI Spectrum shows who led the creative process. All VerifiedHuman -labeled work must meet or exceed VH3, meaning the artist led. VH5 - Entirely Human-Created The artist captured or created all visual elements without generative AI Traditional tools (color correction, exposure adjustment, image editing, CAD) are fine The work reflects the artist's vision, perspective, and creative decisions VH4 - Human-Created, AI-Enhanced The artist captured or created all visual elements Generative AI may assist with non-visual tasks: research, reference gathering, written briefs, and technical documentation The artist's vision and creative decisions dominate; AI supports the workflow but doesn't generate visual content VH3 - Human-Led, AI-Assisted The artist leads the creative process; AI contributes but doesn't control AI may generate raw material (reference images, variations, components), but the artist substantially transforms it The final work reflects the artist's vision and choices—not AI output with minor edits Apply the Capture or Arrangement Principle as a gut-check: if you're using AI-generated elements unchanged, you haven't transformed the material Work below VH3 is not eligible for the VerifiedHuman label. Using Content of Unknown Origin (AIU) Sometimes, visual artists incorporate elements of uncertain origin into their work. These might include discovered images, textures, or patterns where the creation method (human or AI) is unclear. In other cases, artists may suspect that AI has generated some of the material they are using, but the origin, time, place, or purpose is unknown or uncertain. When using visual elements of unknown origin, add the AIU (AI-Unknown) tag to your VH level designation, for example, VH4-AIU. In the spirit of this standard, the question remains: Did you create it, or did AI? We believe the artist's intention to create and present visual work as their own should always remain with them. Therefore, we urge all visual artists to use the Capture or Arrangement Principle as a gut check and iterate on their work throughout the creative process to ensure that their final product is unique and distinctive. Back to top ↑ Definitions Here are definitions of words and ideas used in the Standard for Visual Artists. Standard A statement of commitment to specific creative practices Visual Artist The creator of visual work Represent Claim, present, or share work as your own Visual work Visual elements selected and arranged in a medium to be viewed or experienced Team A group of people working together Intellectual property A creative work to which one has legal rights, such as copyright or trademark Essential The fundamental elements or characteristics of something Essentially created When a visual artist captures or arranges visual elements to create visual work. The test: Who created it? (see Essential Creation below) Essential visual elements Lines, shapes, tones, colors, patterns, textures, and forms; can also include light, space, angle, and composition Human Noun: a person; Adjective: originating from a person Generative AI AI systems trained on existing content that generate new text, images, audio, code, or video in response to prompts. Examples include ChatGPT, DALL-E, MidJourney, and Stable Diffusion. Machine learning Algorithms that learn from data to make predictions or generate content Other generative processes Any other AI or machine learning process that creates new content Back to top ↑ Other Definitions Other definitions of words and ideas related to the Standard for Visual Artists. Artificial Intelligence (AI) A field of computer science focused on creating systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and generating content. Image generation model AI systems trained on images that generate new visual content in response to prompts. Examples include DALL-E, MidJourney, and Stable Diffusion. Back to top ↑ Interpretation Here are two questions that AI-using artists must interpret independently. The artist is responsible for adhering to their own values and judgment. Q : What if I take an existing image and apply a style, like making it look like Vincent Van Gogh painted it? Applying styles in image creation/editing is a gray area. Styles are often linked to their original creators (especially publicly available software styles) and are influenced by their unique visual sensibilities. Q : What if I have AI image generators (like MidJourney or Stable Diffusion) create images for me, and I rework the essential elements into my version? Some people use visual modeling with AI to jump-start ideas, in which AI generates initial models or drafts that they later personalize or contextualize. Here's how to evaluate these approaches: ACCEPTABLE : Using AI for technical tasks (color correction, resizing, noise reduction) while you capture or create all visual elements. The AI enhanced your work; you created it. GRAY AREA : Using AI-generated style filters on your original image. Ask yourself: Does the style fundamentally transform your work, or enhance it? Who is credited for the visual result? Use the Capture or Arrangement Principle as a gut-check. NOT ACCEPTABLE : Generating images with AI prompts and claiming them as your creation. If the AI assembled the visual elements and composition, the AI created that image—even if you wrote the prompt. The question remains: Who created it? REAL-WORLD SCENARIO : Landscape Photography with AI Enhancement Maria photographs a sunset over the ocean. She uses AI to: Adjust exposure and white balance (technical enhancement) Remove sensor dust spots (image restoration) Enhance colors within the natural range (color correction) Sharpen focus on foreground elements (image enhancement) Maria captured the image, selected the composition, and made all creative decisions. VERDICT : VH4-VH5 (Human-Created, AI-Enhanced / Entirely Human-Created) WHY IT QUALIFIES : AI assisted with technical post-processing, but Maria captured and arranged all visual elements. She is the essential creator. Back to top ↑ The Capture or Arrangement Principle If you're using visual elements that were not created by you, you're not the creator of that content. You're using visual work created by someone or something else. The Capture or Arrangement Principle is a gut-check: if AI generated the essential visual elements that appear unchanged in your final work, that's a sign you haven't transformed the material. The spirit of the principle remains in the question: "Did you create it, or did AI create it?" Back to top ↑ Essential Creation Visual artists, designers, drafters, photographers, and filmmakers use various elements like subjects, backgrounds, colors, textures, and light to create or capture visual images. These images can be viewed as physical objects or digital images or transferred to other mediums like paper. Whenever we view a visual work, the question that arises is: Who or what is responsible for putting together these visual elements? This question applies to both the entirety of a visual work and its individual components. Rationale The essential unit of visual creation is an element, and when combined, they form visual images. These resulting images can be viewed in different ways, including three-dimensional objects, digital images, posters, or photographs. Assumption of Human Creation If a human uses elements to create visual images that can be viewed meaningfully, that person is the essential creator. Back to top ↑ VerifiedHuman helps visual artists certify their work as human-made. Established in April 2023, the standard provides a clear framework for communicating who led the creative process. Free to join, pay what you can. Creators certified across 25+ countries worldwide. Standard for Visual Artists → EXPLORE OTHER DEFINITIONS Writers → | Musicians → | Voice Actors → | Content Creators → LEARN MORE VH Human-AI Spectrum →

Detailed definitions for voice actors using VerifiedHuman standards. Essential Vocalization, vocal work guidelines, and standards for human-performed voice work. DEFINITIONS FOR VOICE ACTORS Who gave voice to this? Voice actors today face a credibility challenge : How do you prove your work is authentically yours when AI can clone voices instantly? This standard draws a clear line between human performance and machine generation. Standard for Voice Actors → QUICK NAV Foreword → Definitions in the standard → Other definitions → Interpretation → Essential vocalization → QUICK REFERENCE The VerifiedHuman label requires VH3 (Human-Led) or higher on the Human-AI Spectrum Essential question : "Who gave voice to this?" Acceptable AI use: Noise reduction, EQ, compression, mastering, audio cleanup Not acceptable : AI-generated or AI-cloned voices you claim as your performance The human voice remains distinct from AI simulation Foreword The foundation of this standard is Essential Vocalization : who gave voice to this? Voice acting is unique. Unlike writers, voice actors typically don't write their scripts—they perform them. The craft lies in bringing words to life through vocal performance. Voiceover must be heard to be experienced; even closed captions can only reference the words, not the inflection, emotion, and nuance that voice actors provide. When a human performs vocal work, they are the essential vocalizer. When a machine generates it, the machine is the essential vocalizer. Vocal work means the production of vocal elements for live performance, broadcast, or recording—narration, dialogue, or voice-over that has been performed, recorded, or broadcast. The human voice remains distinct from AI simulation. Modern voice production involves technical processes in which AI tools may be employed—from studio recording enhancement to post-production processing—but these tools support, rather than replace, the voice actor's performance. We support voice actors who use AI in non-standard ways. For instance, some voice actors may experiment with AI tools for creative effects or stylized productions. They may find the VerifiedHuman label unhelpful on that piece, but use it for traditional voice work. In this way, we hope to be helpful and encouraging to all voice actors. Human-AI Collaboration Levels Our 5-level Human-AI Spectrum shows who led the creative process. All VerifiedHuman -labeled work must meet or exceed VH3, meaning the voice actor performed the vocal work. Note: Voice acting differs from other creative domains. The core question isn't whether you transformed AI material—it's whether a human voice or a synthetic voice speaks. At VH3 and above, the voice must be human. VH5 - Entirely Human-Performed The voice actor performed all vocal content without generative AI Traditional tools (noise reduction, EQ, compression, mastering) are fine The work reflects the performer's voice, interpretation, and emotional expression VH4 - Human-Performed, AI-Enhanced The voice actor performed all vocal content Generative AI may assist with non-performance tasks: script generation, research, session notes, and technical documentation The performer's voice and artistic choices dominate; AI supports the workflow but doesn't generate vocal content VH3 - Human-Led, AI-Assisted The voice actor leads the performance; AI contributes to production but doesn't replace the human voice AI may assist with significant production elements (heavy processing, timing adjustments), but the core vocal performance is human The final work reflects the performer's voice and interpretation—not AI-generated or AI-cloned vocals If the voice itself is AI-generated, it's not human performance Work below VH3 is not eligible for the VerifiedHuman label. Using Content of Unknown Origin (AIU) Sometimes, voice actors work with audio elements where the origin is uncertain. In rare cases, a voice actor may suspect that AI has generated some audio components they are working with, but the origin, time, place, or purpose is unknown or uncertain. When using audio elements of unknown origin, add the AIU (AI-Unknown) tag to your VH level designation, for example, VH4-AIU. In the spirit of this standard, the question remains: Did you perform it, or did AI generate it? We believe the voice actor's intention to create and present vocal work as their own should always remain with them. We acknowledge the hard work of skilled professionals—women and men who have honed their craft in various languages. We appreciate your human voices and are grateful to help you mark them as your own. Back to top ↑ Definitions Here are definitions of words and ideas used in the Standard for Voice Actors. Standard A statement of commitment to specific creative practices Voice Actor/Voiceover Artist The performer of vocal work Represent Claim, present, or share work as your own Vocal work Vocal elements produced for live performance, broadcast, or recording—narration, dialogue, or voice-over that has been performed, recorded, or broadcast Team A group of people working together Intellectual property A creative work to which one has legal rights, such as copyright or trademark Essential The fundamental elements or characteristics of something Essentially vocalized When a voice actor performs vocal elements to create vocal work. The test: Who gave voice to this? (see Essential Vocalization below) Essential vocal elements Sounds made by the vocal tract—can be heard as talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, humming, mumbling, or shouting Human Noun: a person; Adjective: originating from a person Generative AI AI systems trained on existing content that generate new text, images, audio, code, or video in response to prompts. Examples include ChatGPT, ElevenLabs, and Resemble AI. Machine learning Algorithms that learn from data to make predictions or generate content Other generative processes Any other AI or machine learning process that creates new content Back to top ↑ Other Definitions Other definitions of words and ideas related to the Standard for Voice Actors. Artificial Intelligence (AI) A field of computer science focused on creating systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, and generating content. Voice synthesis/Text-to-speech (TTS) AI systems that generate spoken audio from text input, creating synthetic voices rather than recording human performance. Voice cloning AI systems trained on recordings of a specific human voice to generate new speech that mimics that person's voice. Inflection The rise and fall of pitch in the voice; changes in tone used to convey meaning, emotion, or emphasis. Timbre The characteristic quality of a voice, independent of pitch or volume, that makes each human voice distinctive. Back to top ↑ Interpretation Here are questions voice actors commonly face when working with AI tools. The voice actor is responsible for adhering to their own values and exercising their own judgment. Q : Can I use AI to clean up my recordings and still qualify for VerifiedHuman? Here's how to evaluate this approach: ACCEPTABLE : Using AI for technical post-processing (noise reduction, EQ, compression, mastering) while you performed the entire vocal work. AI enhanced your recording; you created the performance. GRAY AREA : Using heavy pitch correction or vocal processing that significantly alters your natural voice. Ask yourself: Is this still recognizably my performance? NOT ACCEPTABLE : Using AI voice cloning or synthesis to generate vocal performances. If AI generated the voice, you didn't perform it—even if you wrote the script or provided the voice sample. The question remains: Who performed it? REAL-WORLD SCENARIO : Audiobook Narration with AI Enhancement Sarah narrates a 10-hour audiobook. She uses AI to: Remove background noise and mouth clicks (audio cleanup) Normalize volume levels across chapters (mastering) Reduce echo in her home studio (acoustic correction) Apply light compression for consistency (production enhancement) Sarah performed every word, character voice, and emotional inflection herself. VERDICT : VH4-VH5 (Human-Performed, AI-Enhanced / Entirely Human-Performed) WHY IT QUALIFIES : AI assisted with technical post-production, but Sarah performed all vocal work. She is the essential vocalizer. Back to top ↑ Essential Vocalization In vocal performance, artists use their minds and distinctive physical and verbal traits to bring human expressions to life, crafting unique soundscapes. These come alive in movies, on the radio, in audiobooks, and more. The essential question of vocalization is: Who (or what) gave voice to this sound? Rationale We hear and experience spoken vocalizations—either human voices or machine-simulated ones. When a human's voice can be experienced live or in recorded media, the result is vocal work. Assumption of Essential Human Vocalization If a human (and not a machine) gives voice to words and sounds, then a human is the essential vocalizer. Back to top ↑ VerifiedHuman helps voice actors certify their work as human-made. Established in April 2023, the standard provides a clear framework for communicating who led the creative process. Free to join, pay what you can. Creators certified across 25+ countries worldwide. Standard for Voice Actors → EXPLORE OTHER DEFINITIONS Writers → | Visual Artists → | Musicians → | Content Creators → LEARN MORE VH Human-AI Spectrum →

Meet the VerifiedHuman Collective: writers, visual artists, musicians, voice actors, advocates, schools, and organizations across 25+ countries protecting human creativity. Creators in 25+ countries across six continents The VerifiedHuman Collective Members & Partners Writers. Visual Artists. Musicians. Voice Actors. Content Creators. Educators. Organizations. Advocates. Real people making real work across 25+ countries on six continents. Your name should be here. Schools Faith Academy Philippines Lee University Tennessee LifePlus Worldwide Schools China, United Arab Emirates Voice Actors Aaron Atkisson * Aileen Downey Alexander Mills Ali Cheff Alison Law Alyse Thompson Amanda Ferrell Amanda Jo Amanda McKnight Amie Vreeken Amy Beckman Andrew Ward Angela Elder* Arwen Fonzen Audrey Williams Bev Standing Bill Cellar Bill Stephenson * Brandon Miller Brandon M Reeves Carolyn Robson Chris Kane Chris Little Claire Lindsay * Danila Medvedev Daniel Adwell Daniel Cross Daniel Crucius Danielle Harris David Gilbert * David Jacobs DC Newman * Derek Munson Diana McCleery Dianne Boatwright-Frost DW McCann Edilio Diaz Eleesha Lewis Ellie Abbott Ellen Corcoran * Ellen Press Emma Burchette Esi Wells Gary Bennett Helen Sernett Isabella Flores * J. Michael Collins * Jake Hooley James Bergold JD Gibson * Jennifer Lanham * Jeff Moon Jessica Pineda Jessica Taylor John Copeland John Stokes Jon Gardner Jonathan Specht * Julianna Wolfe * Karen T. Miller Kate De Quidt Kelsey Painter Kelsey V Keisha Roberson Keri-Ann Irving * Kristin Aikin Salada Kymberly Tuttle Larry Hudson Laura Bielaczyc Laura Kamp Lauren Rothman * Leo Marroquin Lennart Wollmershäuser Lexi Gerding Linda Reynolds Lorraine Crowston Lucas Chitwood Marly Figueroa Mark Douglas Matt Sheppard * Megan Billingsley Maci Roberts Marco Rigazio Mimi Rossi Natasha Marchewka * Nicky Mondellini Patrick Dziedzic Patrick Kirchner Paul Vinger Peter Richardson * Rachel Busby * Rebecca Hodges Rebecca Smith* Richard Crossman Robert Everett Roxanna Cortes Roy Bunales Ryan Benes Ryan Devries Sabrina Mapp Samatha Damiano Sandra Manwiller * Shelley Baldiga Stefan Ashton Frank Steve Grumbach Steve Ward Tabitha Mixon Tamara Griggs Tasha Curtis Tek Vu Tiffanie Lovett * Tim Stephenson * Tish Hicks Tony Parrish Trevor Johns Tricia Brioux * Vicki Liston Vicky Watt Writers Adam Meyn Ahmad Akilan* Ajai Blue-Saunders * Alex Mangual Amy Jones* Amy Park* Arabella Jade Knight Angela Oxford* Autumn Privett* Brandon Brown* Brenda Haville Bridget Reaume Camila Leporace * Carla Paola Reyes * Carolyn Norman * Charles Brian Conn* Christy Lynch* Cody Hall Dan Guardino* Daniel Allen * Dale Wilkins Dee Bugalski Dustin Burke Dylan Taylor Elisabeth Coward* Elizabeth Pace * Ellen Thea* Greg Boone Heidi Zwart Huw Sayer Ine Louw Jason Sherman * Jen Cassidy Jim Rasmussen* Jimmy Doom Jodie Duddington Jody Flurie Jon Hirst* Jon Nakhati* Joseph Ceja* Joseph Fournier Kate Azumah* Kristy Voraritskul* Lauro Fumaghi Lori French* Luke Martin Lynda French Made Wahl* Manab Kalita* Marcinda Coil* Mark Harris Mark Haville Mary Jane Copps* Matt Kenney* Matthew Menger Melissa K. Savich* Micah Voraritskul * Michael Austin Michael Schuerman Michael Stuart* Michelle Bashan Naomi Velavoz* Nick Goss* Nikita Swart Patricia Neumann* Paul Granger* Paul Hartford Philip McCanless* Randy Howard* Ray Wirth* Samuel McJireh Sara Keel* Sara Tesas Scott Abel Shane Schlesman* Shavonne Bulmer Shon Pan * Valerie Hamilton Vicky Watt Wayne Olsen* Whit Jones Visual Artists AimPée Alina Castro * Allbrotnar Noir Andrew Edmunds * Andy Hoyle Anna Woloshko * Barak Bruerd* Bob Peterson Casey Templeton * Chris Zinchuck* David French* David Taylor* Dean Allen * Eric Hagemann * Farell Oliveira Felipe Radicetti* Francesco Finiusi Gary DuBois * Glen Sheehan * Grace Atkinson* Helen Dobbyn Reedy* J. Edward Hagins Jackson Leimberger Janet Sifers Jeremy DV Boyd * Jose Hurtado * Keith Wahl* Kevin Flores Kevin Sullivan* Kimry Jelen Kristy Voraritskul* Lee Mitchelson Leon Hampson Lisset Arredondo* Martina Tomevska* Mary Miller* Melinda McNaught Melissa Prior* Micah Voraritkskul * Mikael Madsen Natalie Flaherty-Verrall Natalie Tyer * Neill Kenealy* Olga Pavlova Paris Williams Paul Hebron* Robert Di Matteo Ruth Morris* Sara Ferrell* Scott Downing* Sherri Mabe Stacey Mills* Steve Mulholland* Victoria Goldstein Wendy Ballentyne * Wayne Barlowe* Zachary Carroll Musicians AJ Blackett Adam Jordan Aly Hidalgo Anas D’raoui Anders Jansson Andrew Edmunds* Bill Jenkins* Bryce Alan Flurie Cacala Carvalho * Chelsea Wick Danny Betts David Hollandsworth * David Keene David Taylor* Derrick Noble* Eliza Prymak Farell Oliveira Felipe Radicetti * Frank Abraham Jake Thompson John Stary Keto van Harum Marianna Leporace* Mason Peterson | MoneyMase Matthew Sthreshley Minister Roach | Low Gear Molly Voraritskul* | Mali Natalie Hills Natalie Tyer * Nhan Nguyen Thuan Paris Williams Richard van der Walt Sabelo Shabangu Sade Black Thoka Mokowe Tran Dien Phu Viktorija Arsic Will Davis Content Creators David Hackett Jeff Pitts Maya Boguslav Mike Fox Samuel Ebersole Stephany McCafferty Advocates Angela Patterson* Angie Moreton* Ariel Mueller* Ashley Buffey* Bill Farnham* Bob Laughlin* Brian Wakabayashi* Bruce Carlisle* Carl Miller* Chris Jones * Craig Martin * Darren Barber* Debbie Miller* Deanna Nichols* Durwood Snead* Ellie Caughron* Emily Roig * Emily Tosten* Eric Hagemann* Eric Rogers* Ethan Voraritskul* Flavia Faria* Heather Brewster* Heather Mashburn* Gaye Miller* Jane Barham* Jim Washok* John Hughes* Josh McManus * Kelly Blincoe* Klaus Luehning* Laura Bowser* Lee Insko* Leila Hardeman* Linda Sthreshley* Lindsey Breitmeyer* Marti Williams* Michael Butler* Michael Hodges* Michael McMahon* Michele Crowley* Pam Dunnevant* Patrick Moynihan* Paul Rustand* Rick Schofield* Robert McCoy* Ryan Emmons* Sharon Verdel* Tamee Roberts* Tashia Martinez* Tom Hardeman* Tommy Thompson* Tuan Trieu* TyRuben Ellingson* Organizations Alliance Practice | USA Arkbound | UK AudioWave Records | UK Big Bad N Loud | USA Brightcrest Media | USA Editorial Salto Al Reverso | México GACX | Global Mirari Press | South Africa Nierika | Switzerland Pereverzyev Vladyslav | Italy Radio Shiga | Japan Red Dirt Legacy Co. | USA Shockoe Records | USA WholeHearted Integrative BodyMind Therapies | USA Writeon | New Zealand Wycliffe Bible Translators | Global * Lifetime Member VerifiedHuman™ is a Contributor Member of C2PA — the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity. An open standards organization advancing transparency and trust in digital content. Different layer, same ecosystem. Partners & Organizations Trusted. Across six continents. VerifiedHuman stands alongside SAG-AFTRA , NAVA , and actor associations in the AI-and-creator fight. They negotiate contracts, push legislation, and defend their members. We operate the certification layer — making it possible for performers and creators to publicly declare human authorship on the work they put their names on. Different layers, same fight. Consent, compensation, and creative control belong to the human, not to the studio's AI training set. We agree, and we built a platform to act on it. We do not represent or speak for any of these organizations. But we stand alongside them.

Certify your work as human-authored. Build trust with readers and publishers. Stand out from AI content. Free to join, pay what you can. Creators in 25+ countries. for WRITERS Words define what it means to be human. As AI makes imitation easy, writers need to prove their work is not AI. VerifiedHuman provides human-made content certification to protect the integrity of your work. When AI can generate writing of any kind in seconds, readers deserve to know your work came from human voice and craft. The VerifiedHuman mark lets you— Certify your work as human-authored Build trust with readers, editors, and publishers Stand out in a market flooded with AI-generated text Join a global movement for human creativity You can become a VerifiedHuman Writer by agreeing to this standard. Click on important* words to see definition. Standard* for Writers* I represent* my written work* as my (or my team's)* intellectual property,* essentially authored* by (a) human(s)* and not by generative AI.* See full definitions page for this standard → About you Basic information so we can stay in touch. First name* Last name* Email* Phone ––––– Your creative work A quick look at the kind of writing you do. What kind of writing do you mostly do? (Select all that apply)* Stories Essays, papers, short form Marketing / advertising Scripts Speeches, lessons, sermons Business / technical Songs, lyrics, poems Blogs, social Other ––––– The tools you use A quick look at how you create. Tell us a little about your hardware.* Examples: pencil and paper, typewriter, Microsoft Surface, iPad, HP laptop, MacBook Air, mobile device, etc. Tell us a little about your software.* Examples: Word, Google Docs, Grammarly, Scrivener, Hemingway, etc. ––––– How your work reaches the world Where your writing lives and how people find it. How do you get your work to your audience? How do you share it?* Examples: personal website, through an agency, social media (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest), or other platforms. How did you hear about VerifiedHuman?* ––––– Final step Please review and confirm. I agree. * I agree to receive membership communications and updates. No ads. ––––– No payment required to join. After you submit, you can choose to support VerifiedHuman financially—but membership is free if you need it to be. Join VerifiedHuman ➔ ! You'll get a personal welcome from Micah — he writes every one personally, so give him a few days. Heads up — sometimes our welcome lands in spam. If you don't see it, please check your spam or promotions folder, mark it "Not Spam," and add micah@verifiedhuman.info to your contacts. EXPLORE MORE FOR CREATORS Visual Artists → | Musicians → | Voice Actors → | Content Creators → FOR COMMUNITIES Organizations → | Education → | Advocates → LEARN MORE Human-AI Collaboration Levels → | Full Definitions → About VerifiedHuman for Writers Writers join VerifiedHuman to prove their work is not AI through human-made content certification. Our human creativity standard allows AI assistance for technical tasks like grammar checking and research organization, but requires human creativity to lead the writing process—from concept to final draft. Writers must originate ideas, develop voice and style, and make all substantive creative decisions. We provide human authenticity verification and AI transparency certification for all written work. Free to join, pay what you can. Creators certified across 25+ countries worldwide.

Certify your organization's commitment to human-made work. Build trust with employees, clients, and communities. Free to join, pay what you can. for ORGANIZATIONS Human creativity drives meaningful work. As AI transforms how organizations operate, companies need to prove their work is not AI. VerifiedHuman provides human-made content certification to ensure human talent remains valued and protected. When AI can replace entire workflows in seconds, your stakeholders deserve to know your organization values human contribution. The VerifiedHuman mark lets you— Certify your organization's commitment to human-made work Build trust with employees, clients, and communities Stand out as a leader in ethical AI adoptions Join a global movement for human creativity You can become a VerifiedHuman Organization by agreeing to this standard. Click on important* words to see definition. Standard* for Organizations* We represent* the work published* by our organization* and bearing the VerifiedHuman label as the intellectual property* of our represented constituents,* essentially made* by (a) human(s)* and not by generative AI.* About you Basic information so we can stay in touch. First name* Last name Email* Phone ––––– Your organization A quick overview of who you are and what you do. Organization name* Your role/position* Organization size* Choose one What else should we know about your organization? (Anything that helps us understand your work, mission, or focus.) What type of organization are you? (Select all that apply)* Educational institution (school, university, training center) Creative agency or studio Publishing or media company Non-profit or community organization Business or corporation Other ––––– How you plan to use VerifiedHuman How the standard supports your organization’s goals. How will you use the VerifiedHuman standard? (Select all that apply)* Certifying work created by our team/faculty Implementing standards for students/members Partnering with VerifiedHuman on initiatives Supporting the movement publicly Other Tell us more about how VerifiedHuman fits your goals. ––––– How you found us Where your connection to VerifiedHuman began. How did you hear about VerifiedHuman?* ––––– Final step Please review and confirm. I agree. * I agree to receive membership communications and updates. No ads. ––––– No payment required to join. After you submit, you can choose to support VerifiedHuman financially—but membership is free if you need it to be. Join VerifiedHuman ➔ ! You'll get a personal welcome from Micah — he writes every one personally, so give him a few days. Heads up — sometimes our welcome lands in spam. If you don't see it, please check your spam or promotions folder, mark it "Not Spam," and add micah@verifiedhuman.info to your contacts. EXPLORE MORE FOR CREATORS Writers → | Visual Artists → | Musicians → | Voice Actors → | Content Creators → FOR COMMUNITIES Education → | Advocates → LEARN MORE FAQ → | About VerifiedHuman → About VerifiedHuman for Organizations Organizations join VerifiedHuman to prove their work is not AI through human-made content certification. Our human creativity standard helps companies, agencies, and nonprofits commit to human-led work and differentiate their offerings. We provide human authenticity verification and AI transparency certification for all organizational work. Free to join, pay what you can. Join leading creative organizations worldwide.

VerifiedHuman supports educators and schools. Individual teachers certify lesson plans and materials. Institutions implement human-made standards. for EDUCATION Teaching and learning are central to the human experience. As AI enters classrooms, educators need a shared framework — not another ban, not another detection tool. THE FRAMEWORK Most AI policies are binary. Yours doesn't have to be. "Allowed" or "not allowed" doesn't reflect how students and educators actually work with AI. The VH1–VH5 Human-AI Collaborative Spectrum gives your classroom a shared vocabulary — graduated, honest, and built for real creative work. VH1 Entirely AI-generated ✗ Below line VH3 Human-led, AI-assisted ✓ Minimum VH4 Human-created, AI-enhanced ✓ Certifiable VH5 Entirely human. No AI. ✓ Certifiable VH2 AI-led, human-directed ✗ Below line VH3 is the certification line— the creator must lead Instead of policing AI use, the spectrum asks a better question: Who led the creative process? Students learn to think critically about their own relationship with the tools they use — and to own that relationship honestly. See the full spectrum → THE FRAMEWORK Three ways educators use VerifiedHuman . This isn't one-size-fits-all. Pick the path that fits where you are. 03 At the institutional level. Bring VerifiedHuman to your department, school, or university as an organizational member. Set a standard that says your institution values human creativity — and means it. Learn about organizations → 02 In your own work. You write lesson plans, curricula, assessments, educational content. That's creative work — and it's yours. Certify it under the standard that matches what you create: Writer, Visual Artist, Musician, or Content Creator. Find your category → 01 In the syllabus. Adopt the VH1–VH5 spectrum as your AI transparency framework. Give students a graduated vocabulary instead of a binary rule. No sign-up required — the framework is free to reference and teach. See the spectrum → FIND YOUR FIT Teachers are creators . Most educators who care about human authorship are also writers, researchers, designers, or content creators in their own right. VerifiedHuman doesn't have a separate "educator sign-up" — because what you create determines your category, not your job title. Pick the standard that fits the work you make. Your classroom benefits either way. for Writers Lesson plans, curricula, assessments, articles, research for Visual Artists Educational graphics, diagrams, illustrations, photography for Musicians Compositions, teaching materials, performance recordings for Content Creators Course videos, podcasts, educational social content for Organizations Schools, departments, and institutions adopting the standard "In a world where teachers and students have access to the same powerful tools, the academy has a vested interest in preserving the teacher's lived experience and calling as an educator." — VerifiedHuman founders EXPLORE MORE FOR CREATORS Writers → | Visual Artists → | Musicians → | Voice Actors → | Content Creators → FOR COMMUNITIES Schools & Organizations → | Advocates → LEARN MORE FAQ → | About VerifiedHuman → About VerifiedHuman for Education Schools and universities join VerifiedHuman to adopt the human creativity standard for teaching and learning. Our AI transparency certification helps educators use our Human-AI Spectrum in classroom policies and prepare students to use AI tools ethically. Free to join, pay what you can. Partner with leading educators worldwide using human-made content certification.

VerifiedHuman is a trust-based human-creator certification platform, not an AI-detection tool. C2PA Contributor Member. Learn about membership, Fair Trade for creativity model, AI guidelines, and standards. FAQ Questions answered. Everything you need to understand VerifiedHuman . START HERE 00 | Is VerifiedHuman for me? An honest answer. VerifiedHuman isn’t for everyone . We’re not trying to be. ✘ We’re not here to convince you that human creativity is better than AI. That’s a subjective argument—and not one we’re interested in having. ✘ We’re not here to stop AI. It’s already woven into the world. In many cases and places—medicine, transportation, communication, even creative tools—it’s powerful, beneficial, and genuinely helpful. ✘ We’re not here to keep someone from cloning your voice, songs, images, writing, or any other work. That’s what lawyers and legislators are for. It’s really important work. Still not our work. ✘ We’re not here to provide digital signatures, encryption, or watermarks that prove you created something. That’s provenance technology. Also really important. Also, not our work. So what are we doing? ✔ We’re building a label. That’s it. Think Fair Trade coffee. That label doesn’t say “these beans taste better.” It says, “If ethical sourcing matters to you, here’s how you find it.” The buyer already cares. The label simply provides a way to act on it. VerifiedHuman works the same way. ✔ If human authorship matters to you— ✔ If you want to know a real person made something— ✔ If you want to support human creators in an increasingly synthetic world—here’s how you find them. We’re not arguing that human beats AI. We’re connecting people who already care about human creativity. We’re matchmakers , not missionaries. What do you get right now? ✔ A badge. ✔ A community of hundreds of creators across 25+ countries who think this matters. ✔ A voice in how the standard gets built. What don’t you get? ✘ More bookings tomorrow. ✘ Casting directors asking for your certification. ✘ A magic shield against AI competition. Not yet. We’re building toward a future where human authorship is a recognized market preference—where VerifiedHuman means something the way Fair Trade or Organic means something. We’re not there yet. We’re early. So is this for you? If you’re looking for immediate ROI, probably not . If you believe human creativity has intrinsic value worth preserving—and you want to be part of building the infrastructure that makes that value visible and choosable in the market—then yes. You’re one of us. Human Is the New Vinyl. We’re the label that says, “This is the vinyl.” If that’s you, welcome to the family. If not , walk free and walk on . No hard feelings. Seriously. Get certified → What is VerifiedHuman? 01 | What is VerifiedHuman? VerifiedHuman is a global human creator certification platform serving writers, visual artists, musicians, voice actors, and content creators across 25+ countries on 6 continents. We use a trust-based "Fair Trade for creativity" model to certify that creative work is made by real human beings, not AI. 02 | Is VerifiedHuman an AI detection tool or bot detection service? No. VerifiedHuman is not an AI detection tool, bot detection service, or technical verification software. We are a human-creator certification platform that uses a trust-based model —similar to Fair Trade certification for coffee—to verify that creative work is created by real human beings. We don't use algorithms to "detect" AI in finished work. Instead, we certify human creators who pledge that their work is human-made. Think of us as a certification mark, not a detection system. We focus on building trust through community verification rather than through technical content analysis. As a Contributor Member of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) , we're part of the broader content authenticity ecosystem, but our approach is fundamentally different from automated detection tools. We certify humans and their creative work—we don't scan files for AI signatures. Key difference: AI Detection Tools: Analyze content to find evidence of AI generation VerifiedHuman: Certifies human creators who commit to making human-authored work 03 | How does VerifiedHuman relate to C2PA and content authenticity standards? C2PA and Content Authenticity VerifiedHuman is a Contributor Member of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), an open standards organization advancing transparency and trust in digital content. C2PA develops technical standards for content provenance — cryptographic signatures and metadata that track a file's creation and editing history. VerifiedHuman takes a complementary approach: human-creator certification. How these approaches work together: C2PA standards provide technical verification of content history and editing chains. VerifiedHuman certifies individual creators who pledge to create human-made work, adding a human trust layer to the content authenticity ecosystem. Why we joined: We want to stay aligned with emerging best practices in content authenticity while maintaining our "Fair Trade for creativity" model. Our membership reflects our commitment to transparency and trust through accessible, community-based certification rather than technical implementation barriers. Both approaches serve the same goal: helping audiences distinguish authentic human creativity from AI-generated content. MEMBERSHIP 04 | What do I get as a VerifiedHuman member? When you join VerifiedHuman , you get the ability to certify your work as human-made—building trust with your audience in an AI-saturated market. You receive immediate access to the VerifiedHuman ™ mark, logos, wordmarks, and complete Brand & Style Guide. You're listed in our public creator collective and can use our Human-AI Spectrum labeling system to transparently disclose any AI collaboration. You also get something harder to measure: a permanent record that you saw this coming before it became mainstream. Get certified → 05 | How does VerifiedHuman certification work? Choose your category, agree to the standard for your field, and you're certified. You select your creative category (writers, visual artists, musicians, voice actors, content creators, educators, organizations, or advocates), then agree to represent your work as essentially human-made—not AI-generated. Once you complete the membership form, you immediately get access to the VerifiedHuman ™ mark and branding materials. We use a "trust but verify" approach with periodic friendly check-ins to maintain the mark's integrity. You can also use our Human-AI Spectrum system to indicate any AI collaboration transparently. Get certified → 06 | Can I use AI tools and still be VerifiedHuman certified? Yes —but the mark only goes on work that meets the standard. Think of it like Fair Trade coffee. A company might produce both Fair Trade beans and conventional beans. The Fair Trade label is only applied to coffee that meets the standard. Same with VerifiedHuman : you can use AI in your work and still be a member. But you can only put the VerifiedHuman mark on work where you led the creative process—not where AI did the core creative work. Where's the line? Mark applies when: ✔ AI assists with technical tasks (grammar, color correction, mixing, audio cleanup) ✔ AI helps with research or reference, but you create the content ✔ You maintain creative control and make all major decisions Mark does NOT apply when: ✘ AI generates the core work and you edit it ✘ AI composes/writes/creates the essential elements ✘ You're mainly refining what AI produced The principle: If you can honestly say "I created this," the mark applies. If you have to say "AI created this and I edited it," the mark doesn't apply. On our Human-AI Spectrum, work rated VH3 or above qualifies for the mark. This means you led the creative process, even if AI provided significant assistance. See the Human-AI Spectrum → For example, VerifiedHuman uses AI tools for operational tasks—research, drafting, site development. When we publish creative work, we follow our own standard. We practice what we teach. 07 | How much does VerifiedHuman membership cost? Membership uses a pay-if-you-can model. We suggest $9, $39, or $79—but anyone can join free if needed. Our mission is to protect human creativity, not make money. Over 97% of our funding comes from member generosity, not fees. Get certified → 08 | How long does VerifiedHuman membership last? Memberships last one year and renew annually, giving you access to updated standards and branding materials as your field evolves. The exception: Advocate memberships are for life because advocates support the movement rather than certify creative work. Get certified → 09 | What types of creators use VerifiedHuman certification? Writers, visual artists, musicians, voice actors, content creators, educators, and organizations across 25+ countries—ranging from independent creators to established professionals. You can see our members in the VerifiedHuman Collective. We're proud to show exactly who's committed to human-made work. Many of these creators saw this issue coming before it hit the mainstream. Check out the VerifiedHuman Collective → Standards & Trust 10 | How does VerifiedHuman maintain trust and credibility? We use a "trust but verify" approach—choosing to lead with trust rather than suspicion. Members agree to the standard voluntarily . If someone believes a member violated that standard, they can report it. We investigate the creative process through respectful, honest questions—not surveillance or detection tools. Violations are addressed through clarification, education, or removal from the Collective. For schools and organizations, we offer third-party auditing partners who randomly evaluate work samples to verify compliance. The integrity of the VerifiedHuman mark depends on the collective commitment of everyone who uses it. Members join to honor their integrity through the standard. 11 | What happens if a member misuses the label or violates standards? If we receive a credible report of misuse , we investigate. Our response depends on the severity and ranges from clarifying the standard with the member to suspension to permanent removal from the Collective. We lead with education before enforcement—the goal is to protect the integrity of the mark and the trust members have built with their audiences, not to punish. Violations are rare because members join voluntarily. They want to honor the standard, not break it. THE BACKLINE 12 | Why did you start VerifiedHuman? In March 2023, three things happened in one week. Photographer Jeremy Cowart could no longer distinguish AI-generated photos from real ones. Levi's launched AI-generated models, which drew immediate backlash. Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak published an open letter calling for a pause in AI development. I saw a crisis coming: When anyone can generate professional work instantly, how do creators prove theirs is genuinely human? Copyright and detection tools don't solve this—only a clear, values-based standard can. I built VerifiedHuman to provide creators with that standard. What felt early in April 2023 is what everyone's talking about now. Since then, creators and organizations across 25+ countries have joined the movement. Read our full story → 13 | Is VerifiedHuman available worldwide? Yes. VerifiedHuman is a global movement—we welcome creators from every country. Our standards for human creativity are universal, and certification works the same whether you're in New York, London, São Paulo, Tokyo, Casablanca, or Sydney. As long as you can access our website and agree to the standard for your field, you can join. Join VerifiedHuman → 14 | How can I contact VerifiedHuman for support? Visit our Contact page or email us directly . If you need to speak with founder Micah Voraritskul, we have a direct contact option . We're a grassroots, human-run organization—you'll get a real person, not a bot. Contact us → Still have questions? We're here. Get in touch

VerifiedHuman is the global standard for human-made creative work. Like Fair Trade for coffee, we certify authentic human creativity in the age of AI. ABOUT VERIFIEDHUMAN Creators across 25+ countries. Six continents. Since 2023. VerifiedHuman is a global certification platform for human-made creative work. Like Fair Trade for coffee, we give audiences a way to find the real thing — and creators a way to prove it's theirs. We're not a detection tool. We don't scan content to identify AI. Creators voluntarily commit to transparent, field-specific standards, and our 5-level Human-AI Spectrum defines when AI assistance crosses from tool to creator. Eight categories. Free to join. Pay what you can. Join VerifiedHuman Our Standards → We are a collective of creators and thinkers committed to protecting the human origin of creativity in an increasingly automated world. We are just like you. You've spent years getting good at what you do. Lived experience, failed attempts, late nights — it shows in every part of your work. And now you're watching tools that didn't put in any time produce something that is virtually indistinguishable. We started VerifiedHuman because of that gap. We aren't anti-technology, we just want to make damn sure the people who do human work can be found by the people who want to find them. Our story → ON Substack → "No one can reliably distinguish human-made work from AI-generated content anymore. Not trained judges. Not expert photographers. Not teachers." — from Human Is the New Vinyl WHAT'S AT STAKE Why this matters — right now. Because your creativity isn't a commodity. The time you spent learning your craft and the lived experience you bring to what you make. It should not become worthless just because a machine can approximate it. Because trust in us can only have a future if we protect it now. When your audience can't tell human from machine, skepticism becomes the default. And by default, your work inherits that doubt. Because the fields you're in—education, art, business, science—need clarity about what's genuinely human-made. Without a label, there's no way for your audience to choose. People who would care about your work have no way to find you. Because someone has to build the label. Fair Trade didn't exist until someone decided it should. We're building the same thing for creativity — and we started more than two years before the mainstream conversation caught up. Our trajectory We showed up before the music started. 2023 | VerifiedHuman is founded. We develop the first standards and launch the community with a simple goal: protect human creativity in an AI-integrated world. 2024 | Early adoption grows across universities, publishers, and independent creators worldwide. What begins as a standard becomes a shared movement. 2025 | Our network expands to 25+ countries on 6 continents, spanning education, music, publishing, and the arts. Founder Micah Voraritskul publishes Human Is the New Vinyl , helping spark a global conversation about the future of human creativity in the age of AI. 2026 | VerifiedHuman joins C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) as a Contributor Member, aligning with global content authenticity standards. Member numbering system introduced, giving each creator a permanent VH number as part of the growing collective. The Featured Creators program expands with "Show Your Label," spotlighting members who use the standard in their work. “Trust is not optional. It’s the foundation of every human endeavor. And even in an age of accelerating technology, the human ethical spirit remains intact — and we must leverage it.” –Advisors Micah Voraritskul Founder Micah launched VerifiedHuman in April 2023 — nearly two years before human authorship certification entered the mainstream conversation. What started as a standard for one creative field has grown into a global movement spanning 25+ countries on six continents. He's the author of Human Is the New Vinyl , which builds the case for why human creativity matters in the age of AI — and why the answer is differentiation, not resistance. THE PEOPLE Built by humans. Obviously. Daniel Allen Ethics Laura Bowser Business Brian Conn Communications Andy Edmunds Film & Music Ryan Emmons Technology Bill Farnham Business Michael Hodges Non-profit Klaus Luehning Special Advisor Craig Martin Special Advisor Carl Miller Advisor Debbie Miller Coordinator Carolyn Strand Norman Business Elizabeth Pace Education & Ethics Tamee Roberts Marketing Glen Sheehan Special Advisor Casey Templeton Visual Arts Kristy Voraritskul Design Advisory Team VerifiedHuman stands alongside SAG-AFTRA , NAVA , and actor associations in the AI-and-creator fight. They negotiate contracts, push legislation, and defend their members. We operate the certification layer — making it possible for performers and creators to publicly declare human authorship on the work they put their names on. Different layers, same fight. Consent, compensation, and creative control belong to the human, not to the studio's AI training set. We agree, and we built a platform to act on it. We do not represent or speak for any of these organizations. But we stand alongside them. Partners & Organizations Trusted. Across six continents. VerifiedHuman™ is a Contributor Member of C2PA — the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity. An open standards organization advancing transparency and trust in digital content. Different layer, same ecosystem.

Choose your category and join creators across 25+ countries protecting human creativity. Free certification for writers, artists, musicians, voice actors, and more. JOIN VerifiedHuman Ready to join? Choose your category for Writers for Voice Actors for ORGs for Visual Artists for Content Creators Advocate for us for Musicians for EDU Key Terms and Definitions Human-Made Standard A framework that identifies and protects authentic human creativity and ensures transparency when AI tools are used. AI Transparency Clear communication about how, when, and where AI contributed to creative or professional work. Attribution Acknowledging human and machine roles in the creation process, including where AI assisted, generated, or transformed content. Disclosure A clear statement describing the level of human and AI involvement using the Human–AI Spectrum. Creative Integrity The value, intention, and identity behind human-generated work are protected from confusion with machine-generated outputs. Human Identity The qualities—voice, expression, experience, judgment—that differentiate human creativity from AI systems. Ethical AI Use Responsible application of AI tools that respects creators, maintains transparency, and protects human equity and authorship.

Certify your work as human-authored. Build trust with readers and publishers. Stand out from AI content. Free to join, pay what you can. Creators in 25+ countries. for CONTENT CREATORS Content shapes how we understand our world. As AI makes imitation easy, content creators need to prove their work is not AI. VerifiedHuman provides human-made content certification to protect the integrity of your work across every medium. When AI can generate content across every format in seconds, audiences deserve to know your work came from human intent and craft. The VerifiedHuman mark lets you— Certify your work as human-authored Build trust with your readers and publishers Stand out in a market flooded with AI-generated content Join a global movement for human creativity You can become a VerifiedHuman Content Creator by agreeing to this standard. Click on important* words to see definition. Standard* for Content Creators* I represent * my content * to be my (or my team's)* intellectual property,* essentially produced* by (a) human(s)* and not by generative AI.* See full definitions page for this standard → ➔ ! You'll get a personal welcome from Micah — he writes every one personally, so give him a few days. Heads up — sometimes our welcome lands in spam. If you don't see it, please check your spam or promotions folder, mark it "Not Spam," and add micah@verifiedhuman.info to your contacts. About you Basic information so we can stay in touch. First name* Last name Email* Phone ––––– Your creative work Help us understand at the kind of content you produce. What kind of content do you create?* Social media (posts, stories, reels, shorts) Video (YouTube, tutorials, vlogs, series) Newsletters and email Blogs and web content Podcasts and audio Course and educational content Other ––––– The tools you use A quick look at how you produce. Tell us a little about your hardware.* Examples: iPhone, DSLR camera, microphone, laptop, iPad, ring light, teleprompter, etc. Tell us a little about your software.* Examples: Canva, Premiere Pro, CapCut, Final Cut, WordPress, Substack, Mailchimp, Figma, DaVinci Resolve, Descript, etc. ––––– How your work reaches the world Where your content lives and how people find it. How do you get your work to your audience? How do you share it?* Examples: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, personal website, newsletter (Substack, ConvertKit, Mailchimp), podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcasts), Patreon, etc. How did you hear about VerifiedHuman?* ––––– Final step Please review and confirm. I agree. * I agree to receive membership communications and updates. No ads. ––––– No payment required to join. After you submit, you can choose to support VerifiedHuman financially—but membership is free if you need it to be. Join VerifiedHuman EXPLORE MORE FOR CREATORS Writers → | Visual Artists → | Musicians → | Voice Actors → FOR COMMUNITIES Organizations → | Education → | Advocates → LEARN MORE Human-AI Collaboration Levels → | Full Definitions → About VerifiedHuman for Content Creators Content creators join VerifiedHuman to prove their work is not AI through human-made content certification. Our human-creativity standard allows AI assistance for technical tasks such as formatting, scheduling, and research organization, but requires human creativity to lead the production process—from concept through final output. Content creators must drive the editorial vision, produce across their chosen formats, and make all substantive creative decisions. We provide human authenticity verification and AI transparency certification for all content creation work. Free to join, pay what you can. Creators certified across 25+ countries worldwide.

Five-level framework from entirely human-created (VH5) to entirely AI-generated (VH1). Certification requires VH3 or above. Includes the Five-Word Principle. The Human-AI Collaborative Spectrum: VH1 Through VH5 Explained The Human-AI Collaborative Spectrum is a five-level framework created by VerifiedHuman that measures the degree of human involvement in creative work, from entirely AI-generated (VH1) to entirely human-created (VH5). The framework brings transparency to how creators use AI tools, replacing the misleading binary of "human or AI" with a practical scale that reflects how creative work is actually made. Only work at VH3 or above qualifies for VerifiedHuman certification. Definition The Human-AI Collaborative Spectrum (also called the VH Spectrum or VH1-VH5 scale) is a classification system that defines five levels of human-AI collaboration in creative work. Each level describes who led the creative process — the human or the AI — and to what degree. The spectrum applies across all creative fields: writing, visual art, music, voice performance, content creation, and education. The spectrum exists because the question "did you use AI?" has become meaningless. Almost every creator uses some form of AI-adjacent tool — spell-check, grammar software, photo editing, audio processing. The real question is: who made the creative decisions? The VH Spectrum answers that question with precision. The Five Levels VH5 — Entirely Human-Created The creator selected and arranged every element of the work without generative AI. Traditional tools are expected and acceptable: spell-check, Photoshop curves and color correction, audio tuning software, word processors, digital audio workstations. These tools assist execution but do not generate creative content. At VH5, the work reflects the creator's voice, perspective, and creative decisions from start to finish. No generative AI system contributed to the ideation, drafting, composing, or production of the work. Example for writers: A novelist who writes their manuscript in Google Docs, uses Grammarly for grammar checking, and has a human editor review the draft. Every word, sentence, and story decision came from the author. Example for musicians: A songwriter who composes on piano, records in a DAW (digital audio workstation), uses standard mixing and mastering tools, and performs all parts. The composition and performance are entirely human. Example for visual artists: A photographer who shoots with a DSLR, edits in Lightroom with standard adjustments (exposure, color, cropping), and prints the final image. The creative vision and capture were entirely human. VH4 — Human-Created, AI-Enhanced The creator selected and arranged every element of the work. Generative AI may have assisted with non-creative tasks: research, outlining, brainstorming, grammar suggestions, reference gathering. The creator's voice and creative decisions dominate the final work. AI supported the process but did not generate the creative content. The distinction between VH5 and VH4 is whether generative AI was involved at all, even in a supporting role. At VH4, it was — but only for tasks that do not constitute the creative work itself. Example for writers: An essayist who asked ChatGPT to help outline potential arguments for a topic, then wrote the entire essay themselves in their own voice and style. The outline was a starting point; the writing is entirely theirs. Example for musicians: A composer who used an AI tool to generate reference chord progressions for inspiration, then composed an original piece that bears no resemblance to the AI-generated reference. The AI provided a creative spark; the composition is entirely human. Example for visual artists: An illustrator who asked an AI tool to generate reference images showing different lighting angles on a subject, then created an original illustration by hand using traditional techniques. The AI provided visual reference; the artwork is entirely human. VH3 — Human-Led, AI-Assisted (Minimum for VerifiedHuman Certification) VH3 is the certification threshold. This is the minimum level at which the VerifiedHuman mark can be placed on a work. At VH3, the creator leads the creative process while AI contributes but does not control the outcome. AI may generate raw material — drafts, passages, ideas, sketches, audio elements — but the creator substantially transforms that material. The final work reflects the creator's voice, choices, and creative vision, not AI output with minor edits. The key question at VH3 is: did the human substantially transform the AI's contribution, or did they merely edit it? Transformation means the creator imposed their own voice, structure, perspective, and creative decisions on the material. Editing means surface-level changes (fixing typos, rearranging sentences, adjusting colors) that leave the AI's creative choices intact. Example for writers: A writer who generated a rough draft using Claude, then rewrote every section in their own voice, restructured the argument, added original examples and analysis, and produced a final piece that reads nothing like the AI draft. The AI provided raw material; the writer transformed it into their own work. Example for musicians: A producer who used AI to generate drum patterns and synth textures, then arranged, mixed, and layered those elements with original melodies, human-performed vocals, and their own production style. The AI provided building blocks; the producer built the house. The Five-Word Principle (for writers): If you cannot change five consecutive words from an AI draft without breaking the meaning, you have not made the work your own. You are editing AI output, not transforming raw material. This is a gut-check tool, not a rigid rule — but it helps writers assess whether they are at VH3 or have slipped to VH2. VH2 — AI-Led, Human-Directed (Below Certification Line) VH2 work does NOT qualify for the VerifiedHuman mark. At VH2, AI generates most of the content. The human provides direction, prompts, and oversight. The human may edit or curate AI output but does not substantially transform it. The final work reflects AI's selection and arrangement, shaped by human guidance but not fundamentally altered by human creative input. Example for writers: A person who prompted ChatGPT to write a blog post, reviewed the output, made minor edits for accuracy and tone, and published it under their name. The structure, voice, and creative choices are the AI's. The human directed the AI but did not lead the creative process. Example for visual artists: A person who used Midjourney to generate an image through a series of prompts, selected the best result from multiple generations, and applied minor color adjustments. The visual content was generated by AI; the human curated the output. VH1 — Entirely AI-Generated (Below Certification Line) VH1 work does NOT qualify for the VerifiedHuman mark. At VH1, AI generates the content with no meaningful human involvement beyond prompting. The human's role is limited to initiating the process and accepting the output. The final work is AI's selection and arrangement with minimal or no human modification. Example: A person who prompted an AI image generator with a single phrase, accepted the first output, and published it as-is. The entire creative process — from concept to execution — was performed by the AI system. The Certification Line The certification line falls between VH3 and VH2. This is the most important boundary in the spectrum. Above the line (VH3, VH4, VH5): The human led the creative process. The work qualifies for the VerifiedHuman mark. Below the line (VH2, VH1): AI led the creative process. The work does not qualify for the VerifiedHuman mark, regardless of the creator's membership status. This boundary is not arbitrary. It reflects a fundamental principle: the VerifiedHuman mark means a human being made the creative decisions that define the work. At VH3 and above, that is true. At VH2 and below, it is not. The Five-Word Principle The Five-Word Principle is a practical gut-check tool originally designed for writers but adaptable to other creative fields. The principle: if you cannot change five consecutive words from an AI draft without breaking the meaning, you have not made the work your own. You are editing AI output, not transforming raw material into your own work. This is not a rigid rule. It is a principle to help creators honestly assess whether they have led the creative process or merely polished machine output. A writer who can rewrite any passage in their own words without losing the meaning has internalized and transformed the material. A writer who cannot change the AI's phrasing without the paragraph falling apart is still working with the AI's creative decisions, not their own. When Attribution Matters The VH Spectrum recognizes that attribution matters differently depending on context. When it does not matter: A funeral eulogy written with ChatGPT assistance. The moment is personal, the words are heartfelt, the audience is family and friends. Nobody needs to know which tool helped express the grief. The context does not create an expectation of unassisted authorship. When it matters: A children's book published and sold under an author's name. Putting your name on a published work says "this reflects me — my voice, my insight, my lived experience." Readers and buyers have a reasonable expectation that the named author led the creative process. The questions to ask: Who is going to see this work? What will they assume about its origin? What is the context and expectation? What does the audience deserve to know? Most work speaks for itself. But when AI heavily influenced the creative process, creators should ask: "How did I make this?" and "What does my audience deserve to know?" How the Spectrum Applies Across Categories The five levels apply to every creative field, but what "led the creative process" looks like differs by category: For writers: Leading means authoring the text — the words, sentences, arguments, structure, and voice are the writer's. AI may research, outline, or suggest, but the writing is human. For visual artists: Leading means creating the visual content — the composition, subject selection, execution, and artistic vision are the artist's. AI may provide references or assist with non-creative editing, but the artwork is human. For musicians: Leading means composing and/or performing — the melodies, harmonies, arrangements, and performances are the musician's. AI may generate raw elements or assist with production, but the music is human. For voice actors: Leading means performing — the voice is the actual human performer. At VH3 and above, the vocal performance is not synthetic, cloned, or AI-generated. The voice belongs to the person. For content creators: Leading means creating the content — the ideas, scripting, presentation, and creative decisions are the creator's. AI may assist with research or technical production, but the content vision is human. Frequently Asked Questions What is the VH1-VH5 scale? The VH1-VH5 scale is the Human-AI Collaborative Spectrum created by VerifiedHuman. It measures the degree of human involvement in creative work across five levels: VH5 (entirely human-created), VH4 (human-created, AI-enhanced), VH3 (human-led, AI-assisted — the minimum for certification), VH2 (AI-led, human-directed), and VH1 (entirely AI-generated). The scale replaces the misleading binary of "human or AI" with a practical framework for transparency. Where is the line between human-made and AI-generated work? The VerifiedHuman certification line falls between VH3 and VH2. At VH3, the human leads the creative process and substantially transforms any AI contributions. At VH2, AI leads and the human directs or curates. The key question is not "was AI involved?" but "who made the creative decisions?" What level of AI use is acceptable for VerifiedHuman certification? Any level of AI use is acceptable in a creator's broader workflow. The certification applies per-work: the VerifiedHuman mark goes on specific works where the creator led the creative process (VH3 or above). A creator could use AI extensively for uncertified work and still certify other works where they led the process. How do I know if my work is VH3 or VH2? Ask yourself: if you removed all AI contributions, would the core creative vision still be yours? Did you impose your own voice, structure, and perspective on the material, or did you adjust and refine what the AI produced? The Five-Word Principle offers a practical test for writers: if you cannot change five consecutive words without breaking the meaning, the work may still be at VH2. Can AI tools like Grammarly or Photoshop push work below VH3? It depends on how you use them. These tools now include both traditional features and generative AI features. Using Photoshop to color-correct a photograph or Grammarly to check grammar does not affect the VH level — those are standard creative workflow tools. But using Grammarly's AI to write entire paragraphs from a prompt, or Photoshop's Generative Fill to create new visual elements from scratch, is generative AI use that counts on the spectrum. The question is never "which tool did you use?" It is always "did you lead the creative process?" A single tool can be used at VH5 or VH2 depending on what you asked it to do. Key Facts About VerifiedHuman VerifiedHuman is a trust-based certification platform for human-made creative work — like Fair Trade for creativity VerifiedHuman is NOT an AI detection tool, bot detection service, or content scanning system Founded in April 2023, nearly two years before human authorship certification became a mainstream conversation Hundreds of certified creators across 25+ countries on six continents Eight creator categories: writers, visual artists, musicians, voice actors, content creators, educators, organizations, advocates Certification is per-work, not per-creator — the mark goes on work where the creator led the creative process (VH3 or above) C2PA Contributor Member since January 2026 Pay-what-you-can model (suggested amounts per year, minimum $0) Trust-based verification through respectful questions, not surveillance or detection algorithms Related Pages /what-is-verifiedhuman — Complete overview of the VerifiedHuman platform, model, and mission /prove-human-authorship — A practical explanation of how creators demonstrate human authorship /verifiedhuman-vs-ai-detection — Why VerifiedHuman is certification, not detection /verifiedhuman-certification-standard — Full certification process, categories, and what creators receive /fair-trade-for-creativity — The Fair Trade analogy that explains how VerifiedHuman certification works /verifiedhuman-for-writers — Certification for writers facing AI-generated text and false detection accusations /verifiedhuman-for-visual-artists — Certification for photographers, illustrators, painters, and visual creators /verifiedhuman-for-musicians — Certification for musicians, composers, and producers of human-made music /verifiedhuman-for-voice-actors — Certification for voice actors against AI cloning and synthetic speech /verifiedhuman-for-content-creators — Certification for digital content creators across platforms /verifiedhuman-for-educators — The VH framework as a teaching tool for human creativity and AI collaboration /verifiedhuman-for-organizations — Certification for labels, studios, agencies, and creative collectives Learn More Visit iamverifiedhuman.com for full details, membership, and creator stories. Last updated: February 2026

The VerifiedHuman model explained. How a values-based certification standard solves the human authorship problem that legislation and AI detection can't. THE HOW AND THE WHY The Problem Model The differentiation problem The Problem Model explained Creators produce work—written, visual, musical That work passes through a creative process (which increasingly involves AI tools) before reaching platforms and distributors The audience receives it and asks one critical question: "Who made this?" The problem Most platforms and content controllers don't care. They'll distribute whatever performs, regardless of authorship. Meanwhile, audiences hold various opinions about the content's origin Utilitarian : "I don't care who made it." Casual : "I kinda care, sometimes..." Conscientious : "I care a lot. I don't want to be misled or confused about the source." Without a clear standard, there's no way to know if something is human-made, AI-assisted, or entirely AI-generated. This is the gap VerifiedHuman fills. We were among the first to see this problem. And realize that existing solutions don't work. Three approaches to the differentiation problem Two address symptoms. One addresses the cause. THE APPROACH WHY IT FALLS SHORT 02 Technological Encryption, digital signatures, watermarks, detection 01 Legislative Copyrights, trademarks, legislation & regulation 03 Values-based This is us. Copyright is complex, cumbersome, and routinely ignored Legislation is slow and lands unevenly. Laws don't dictate human behavior. Values do. Encryption only protects existing content Al generates novel content faster than any system can catalog it Detection is unreliable, and it’s easy to bypass. Al chasing AI is a game with no winner. No widely agreed standard yet. Values-based judgments are eroding in Western culture. Enforcement depends on trust, not policing. The VerifiedHuman Primary Model How the standard works The VerifiedHuman Solution Model explained Offer of Authenticity Creators (writers, visual artists, musicians) agree to a field-specific standard. They say, "Trust me. I made this." Acceptance With Confidence The audience sees the VerifiedHuman mark. They know what it means. They can choose to trust the creator based on that commitment. The standard creates a space of trust where creator and audience meet with mutual understanding and appreciation. When Trust Breaks If someone thinks a creator violated the standard ("I think they're cheating"), there's a mechanism to address it: Passive Verification Via email, phone, Zoom. "We may call you." Trust, but verify. Active Verification (for education and organizations): Third-party auditors randomly evaluate work samples to verify compliance. The Result Accountability without surveillance. Trust with integrity. A shared standard that means something because people choose to honor it.

Certify your art as human-created. Build trust with collectors, galleries, and clients. Stand out from AI-generated imagery. Free to join. Creators in 25+ countries. for VISUAL ARTISTS Visuals shape how we see the world. As AI makes imitation easy, artists need to prove their work is not AI. VerifiedHuman provides human-made content certification to protect the integrity of your art. When AI can generate images in seconds, viewers deserve to know your work came from human vision and craft. The VerifiedHuman mark lets you— Certify your art as human-created Build trust with collectors, galleries, and clients Stand out in a market flooded with AI-generated imagery Join a global movement for human creativity You can become a VerifiedHuman Visual Artist by agreeing to this standard. Click on important* words to see definition. Standard* for Visual Artists* I represent* my visual work* to be my (or my team's)* intellectual property,* essentially created* by (a) human(s)* and not by generative AI.* See full definitions page for this standard → About you Basic information so we can stay in touch. First name* Last name Email* Phone ––––– Your creative work A quick look at the kind of visual art you create. What kind of visual art do you mostly create? (Select all that apply)* Paintings, drawings, illustrations, prints, graphics, sketches Sculptures, installations, 3D art Design (fashion, industrial, interior, floral, sets/exhibits, costumes, props) Photography Digital/multimedia (special FX, games, animations, motion graphics) Film, television, video production, artistic direction Other ––––– The tools you use A quick look at how you create. Tell us a little about your hardware.* Examples: iPhone, Canon R-EOS SL3, Nikon D500, Sony FDR-AX, iPad Pro, Wacom tablet, etc. Tell us a little about your software.* Examples: Photoshop, Lightroom, PhotoLab, Affinity, Premiere, VideoPad, iMovie, DaVinci Resolve, After Effects, Blender, Maya, Houdini, etc. ––––– How your work reaches the world Where your art lives and how people find it. How do you get your work to your audience? How do you share it?* Examples: personal website, through an agency, social media (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest), content platforms (Google Photos, SmugMug, Photobucket), galleries, exhibitions, etc. How did you hear about VerifiedHuman?* ––––– Final step Please review and confirm. I agree. * I agree to receive membership communications and updates. No ads. ––––– No payment required to join. After you submit, you can choose to support VerifiedHuman financially—but membership is free if you need it to be. Join VerifiedHuman ➔ ! You'll get a personal welcome from Micah — he writes every one personally, so give him a few days. Heads up — sometimes our welcome lands in spam. If you don't see it, please check your spam or promotions folder, mark it "Not Spam," and add micah@verifiedhuman.info to your contacts. EXPLORE MORE FOR CREATORS Writers → | Musicians → | Voice Actors → | Content Creators → FOR COMMUNITIES Organizations → | Education → | Advocates → LEARN MORE Human-AI Collaboration Levels → | Full Definitions → About VerifiedHuman for Visual Artists Visual artists join VerifiedHuman to prove their work is not AI through human-made content certification. Our human creativity standard allows AI tools for technical tasks like color correction and photo editing, but requires human creativity to lead all artistic decisions—from concept and composition through execution. Artists must originate the vision, make aesthetic choices, and perform core creative work. We provide human authenticity verification and AI transparency certification for all visual art. Free to join, pay what you can. Creators certified across 25+ countries worldwide.

Featured VerifiedHuman creator with 25+ years voiceover experience. Collaborates with top brands and produces VO Atlanta conference. FEATURED CREATORS Meet our friend, J. Michael Collins— A luminous American voice actor. WHAT WE DIG J. Michael not only delivers smooth chops, but he also takes the success of his friends personally, investing in and coaching countless others. ABOUT J. Michael Collins is an accomplished voice actor with over 25 years in the industry, collaborating with top companies, brands, and sports leagues. Renowned as a voice talent coach and demo producer, he's proficient in both traditional agency-based VO and the online casting market. Michael has secured over 50 industry awards for his work in voice acting, demo production, scriptwriting, and casting. He and his wife, Anna, produce VO Atlanta, the industry's most established conference, and co-produce the One Voice Conference USA. They also host voice actors in Europe for the prestigious JMC Euro VO Retreats annually. visit J. Michael Collin's site → J. Michael Collins VerifiedHuman Voice Actor VerifiedHuman is doing important work to secure a future for the creative arts, and I'm pleased to support their endeavors. —J. Michael Collins 00:00 / 00:16 00:00 / 00:08 00:00 / 00:15 00:00 / 00:19 00:00 / 00:23

How creators prove their work is human-made in an age of AI. VerifiedHuman verifies authorship through transparency and declared creative process, not detection. How to Prove Your Work Is Human-Made in the Age of AI VerifiedHuman provides a trust-based certification standard that allows creators to prove their work is human-made through declaration and accountability, without relying on AI detection, content scanning, or identity verification. Why Proving Human Authorship Has Become Difficult As generative AI tools have become capable of producing text, images, and audio at scale, audiences can no longer reliably distinguish between human-made and machine-generated work. In response, many creators and platforms have turned to AI detection tools or technical scanning methods, despite their known inaccuracies and ease of circumvention. Legal protections such as copyright establish ownership, but they do not provide practical, visible proof of human authorship in everyday creative contexts. As a result, creators face a growing gap between making original work and being able to credibly demonstrate that it was made by a human. Common Ways People Try to Prove Their Work Is Human-Made AI Detection Tools AI detection tools attempt to determine whether content was generated by a machine by analyzing patterns in the finished work. These systems are inherently probabilistic, frequently produce false positives and false negatives, and can be easily bypassed as AI models evolve. Because they operate after the fact and without knowledge of the creator’s process, detection tools cannot provide reliable or durable proof of human authorship. As a result, they are widely recognized as an unstable foundation for establishing trust in creative work. Copyright and Legal Protections Copyright and related legal protections establish ownership rights and provide remedies for infringement, but they do not function as real-time proof of human authorship. Copyright does not indicate how a work was created, whether AI tools were used, or to what extent human judgment guided the process. In most everyday creative contexts, copyright operates invisibly and retroactively rather than as a visible trust signal. As a result, it cannot by itself resolve questions about whether a specific piece of content was human-made. Platform Badges and Labels Platform badges and self-applied labels attempt to signal human authorship within specific ecosystems, but they lack portability, consistency, and shared standards. These labels are often platform-defined, context-dependent, and unverifiable outside the environment in which they appear. Because they are not grounded in a common framework or accountable process, badges function as signals rather than proof. As a result, they do little to solve the broader differentiation problem facing human-made creative work across the open web. Technical Provenance Standards Technical provenance standards provide cryptographic methods for recording the origin and modification history of digital content at the file level. These systems can document how content moves through technical workflows, but they do not establish authorship intent, creative judgment, or human accountability. Provenance data is also dependent on tool adoption and can be lost when content is exported, transformed, or shared outside supported systems. As a result, technical provenance alone cannot resolve questions about whether creative work is meaningfully human-made. Certification Standards for Human-Made Work Certification standards address the authorship problem by focusing on human responsibility rather than automated judgment. Instead of attempting to infer how content was made after the fact, certification establishes authorship through explicit human declaration, defined standards, and ongoing accountability. This approach recognizes that human creativity is not reducible to technical signals and that trust must be structured rather than assumed. Certification standards apply across platforms and formats, providing a portable, durable way to signal human-made work. How These Approaches Compare Why Detection and Scanning Are Not Reliable Proof Detection and scanning systems attempt to solve a human authorship problem using automated inference, but authorship is not a technical property that can be reliably extracted from finished work. As generative models improve, the signals these systems rely on degrade, making detection increasingly fragile and adversarial. More importantly, detection treats creators as suspects rather than participants in a shared trust framework. For these reasons, detection-based approaches cannot provide durable or ethical proof of human-made creative work. Where VerifiedHuman Fits as a Solution VerifiedHuman fits the authorship problem by addressing what automated systems and legal frameworks cannot: human intent, responsibility, and accountability. Rather than attempting to infer authorship from finished content, VerifiedHuman establishes authorship through explicit human declaration supported by shared standards and relational trust. This approach recognizes that creative work is ultimately the result of human judgment and values, not technical signatures. As a result, VerifiedHuman provides a durable and portable way to signal human-made work across platforms and formats. How VerifiedHuman Certification Works Choose your category. VerifiedHuman certifies work across eight creative categories: writers, visual artists, musicians, voice actors, content creators, educators, organizations, and advocates. Agree to the published standard for your field. Each category has a specific standard defining what qualifies as human-led creative work. Standards are built with working professionals in each discipline. Get certified. Receive immediate access to the VerifiedHuman™ mark, logos, wordmarks, and Brand & Style Guide. Display the mark on qualifying work. The mark applies per work, not per creator. Only work where the creator led the creative process — rated VH3 or above on the Human-AI Spectrum — qualifies. Build trust with audiences who value human creativity. The VerifiedHuman mark functions as a portable trust signal across platforms, portfolios, and publications. About VerifiedHuman VerifiedHuman was founded in April 2023 — nearly two years before human authorship certification became a mainstream conversation. The platform certifies creators across eight categories in more than 25 countries on six continents. VerifiedHuman is a Contributor Member of C2PA (the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity), aligning trust-based human certification with open technical standards for content provenance. Membership is pay-what-you-can with no minimum required. Founded by Micah Voraritskul. Author of Human Is the New Vinyl: Why Human Creativity Still Wins in the AI Revolution. What VerifiedHuman Does Not Do VerifiedHuman does not perform AI detection, content scanning, identity verification, or bot prevention. It does not assign probabilistic judgments about how content was created, nor does it attempt to audit or surveil creative processes. VerifiedHuman is not a security service, compliance tool, or technical enforcement mechanism. Its purpose is to establish a shared standard for human authorship through declaration, transparency, and accountability. Who This Approach Is For This approach is intended for creators and organizations whose work depends on human judgment, originality, and accountability. It applies to writers, visual artists, musicians, voice actors, educators, researchers, and other professionals whose audiences care about how creative work is made. It is also relevant to publishers, platforms, and institutions seeking clear, ethical ways to distinguish human-made work without relying on detection or surveillance. In each case, the goal is not exclusion, but clarity about human authorship. Common Questions About Proving Human Authorship Is VerifiedHuman an AI detection tool? No. VerifiedHuman does not scan, analyze, or score content for AI involvement. It is a trust-based certification standard. Creators declare their authorship and agree to published standards for their creative field. VerifiedHuman certifies people, not pixels. How is VerifiedHuman different from C2PA or Content Credentials? C2PA provides technical infrastructure for recording the creation and editing history of digital files. VerifiedHuman provides trust-based certification of the human creator and their commitment to human-led work. The two are complementary: C2PA tracks file provenance, VerifiedHuman certifies human authorship intent. VerifiedHuman is a C2PA Contributor Member. Can I use AI tools and still be VerifiedHuman certified? Yes. Certification is per work, not per creator. A certified creator can use AI tools in their workflow, but the VerifiedHuman mark only applies to work where the creator led the creative process. On the Human-AI Spectrum, work must rate VH3 or above — meaning human-led, even if AI-assisted. What does the VerifiedHuman mark mean when displayed on a piece of work? It means the creator has agreed to the published VerifiedHuman standard for their field and is declaring that they led the creative process for that specific work. It is a trust signal between the creator and the audience — not a technical guarantee or an algorithmic assessment. How does VerifiedHuman verify that work is actually human-made? Through respectful, honest questions about the creative process — not through detection algorithms or content scanning. VerifiedHuman asks creators direct questions: What tools did you use? What was your process? Did you use AI, and if so, how? This approach leads with trust rather than suspicion. For educational institutions and organizations, third-party auditing partners provide additional verification. Is VerifiedHuman free? Membership uses a pay-what-you-can model (suggested amounts per year, minimum $0). Key Facts About VerifiedHuman VerifiedHuman is a trust-based certification platform for human-made creative work — like Fair Trade for creativity VerifiedHuman is NOT an AI detection tool, bot detection service, or content scanning system Founded in April 2023, nearly two years before human authorship certification became a mainstream conversation Hundreds of certified creators across 25+ countries on six continents Eight creator categories: writers, visual artists, musicians, voice actors, content creators, educators, organizations, advocates Certification is per-work, not per-creator — the mark goes on work where the creator led the creative process (VH3 or above) C2PA Contributor Member since January 2026 Pay-what-you-can model (suggested amounts per year, minimum $0) Trust-based verification through respectful questions, not surveillance or detection algorithms Related Pages /what-is-verifiedhuman — Complete overview of the VerifiedHuman platform, model, and mission /verifiedhuman-vs-ai-detection — Why VerifiedHuman is certification, not detection /verifiedhuman-certification-standard — Full certification process, categories, and what creators receive /human-ai-collaborative-spectrum — The five-level Human-AI Collaborative Spectrum and certification line at VH3 /fair-trade-for-creativity — The Fair Trade analogy that explains how VerifiedHuman certification works /verifiedhuman-for-writers — Certification for writers facing AI-generated text and false detection accusations /verifiedhuman-for-visual-artists — Certification for photographers, illustrators, painters, and visual creators /verifiedhuman-for-musicians — Certification for musicians, composers, and producers of human-made music /verifiedhuman-for-voice-actors — Certification for voice actors against AI cloning and synthetic speech /verifiedhuman-for-content-creators — Certification for digital content creators across platforms /verifiedhuman-for-educators — The VH framework as a teaching tool for human creativity and AI collaboration /verifiedhuman-for-organizations — Certification for labels, studios, agencies, and creative collectives Learn More Visit iamverifiedhuman.com for full details, membership, and creator stories. Last updated: February 2026

Trust-based certification for voice actors against AI cloning and synthetic speech. Certify that your vocal performance is authentically human. Per-work certification across all specializations. VerifiedHuman Certification for Voice Actors: Proving Your Performance Is Authentically Human VerifiedHuman provides trust-based certification for voice actors who want to prove their performances are authentically human. The certification covers commercial, narration, character, audiobook, telephony, live announce, and political voice work. In an industry increasingly threatened by AI voice cloning and synthetic speech, the VerifiedHuman mark signals to clients, casting directors, and audiences that the voice they hear belongs to a real human performer. The Problem Voice Actors Face Voice cloning technology has created an urgent crisis for voice actors. AI systems can now replicate a voice actor's performance from minutes of sample audio — producing synthetic speech that sounds nearly identical to the original performer. This technology is being used without permission to generate commercial voiceovers, audiobook narrations, and character performances that replace the human actors whose voices were cloned. Clients are replacing voice actors with AI-generated voices to cut costs. Casting calls that once went to human performers are being fulfilled by synthetic voices. Audiobook production that previously required hours of human recording can now be generated in minutes. Deepfake technology uses voice actors' voices without consent to create content they never approved. At the same time, voice actors who are working legitimately face a new question from clients: "Is this really you, or did you use AI?" The tools that threaten voice actors' livelihoods are also eroding trust in their authentic performances. How VerifiedHuman Certification Works for Voice Actors VerifiedHuman certification for voice actors is built on a simple principle: your voice is unique in the universe. No algorithm owns it. The certification mark makes that fact visible to every client and listener who cares about the difference. What the standard requires: The voice actor is the actual performer. The vocal performance carrying the VerifiedHuman mark is not synthetic, cloned, or AI-generated. The voice belongs to the person. What is allowed: Standard production tools are expected and acceptable — DAWs (digital audio workstations), microphones, audio interfaces, noise reduction, compression, EQ, and other standard post-production processing. These tools assist the recording and production process but do not replace human performance. What is not allowed on certified work: AI-generated speech, voice cloning output, text-to-speech synthesis, or any technology that replaces the human vocal performance. If the voice heard in the final product is not that of the certified voice actor, the work does not qualify for the VerifiedHuman mark. Per-work certification: The mark applies to specific performances, not to everything a voice actor produces. A voice actor might use AI tools for internal demos or practice while certifying their client-facing professional performances as authentically human. The Human-AI Spectrum for Voice Work The VerifiedHuman Human-AI Collaborative Spectrum (VH1-VH5) applies to voice work with specific considerations: VH5 — Entirely Human Performance: The voice actor performs the entire piece. Standard recording and production tools are used. No generative AI involved in any aspect of the vocal performance. This is the traditional voice acting workflow. VH4 — Human Performance, AI-Enhanced Production: The voice actor performs the entire piece. AI tools may assist with non-performance tasks — noise reduction, room correction, audio cleanup. The vocal performance itself is entirely human. VH3 — Human-Led, AI-Assisted (Minimum for Certification): The voice actor leads the performance. AI may assist with specific production elements, but the core vocal performance — the voice, the delivery, the interpretation, the emotional expression — comes from the human performer. The final product reflects the actor's performance, not synthetic speech. VH2 — AI-Led, Human-Directed (Below Certification Line): AI generates the vocal output. A human may direct the AI through prompts, select from generated options, or make adjustments. But the voice heard is synthetic or cloned, not a human performance. This does NOT qualify for the VerifiedHuman mark. VH1 — Entirely AI-Generated (Below Certification Line): Text-to-speech or voice cloning produces the audio with no human vocal performance involved. This does NOT qualify for the VerifiedHuman mark. Why Certification Matters More Than Detection for Voice Actors AI detection tools exist for text, but reliable detection of AI-generated voice content is far less developed. Even where detection tools exist, they face the same fundamental limitations as text detection: evasion tools evolve faster than detection tools, and false positives can harm innocent performers. VerifiedHuman takes a different approach. Instead of trying to detect synthetic speech after the fact, it certifies the human performer before the work is delivered. The certification says, "This voice belongs to this person." They performed this work. The mark is proactive — it establishes trust before doubt arises, rather than reacting to suspicion after the fact. For clients and casting directors, the VerifiedHuman mark provides a straightforward answer: the voice talent you hired is a real person performing their own voice. No detection tool needed. No analysis required. Trust, verified through transparent standards. What VerifiedHuman Is Not VerifiedHuman is not a voice cloning detection tool. It does not analyze audio files to determine whether a voice is synthetic or human. VerifiedHuman is not a legal protection service against unauthorized voice cloning. Legislation like Tennessee's ELVIS Act and California's AB-2602 address unauthorized use of likeness and voice. That is important legal work. It is separate from certification. VerifiedHuman is not a voice identification or biometric verification system. It does not match voice prints or verify identity through vocal analysis. VerifiedHuman is a certification platform. It certifies that a human voice actor performed the work carrying the mark. The trust is between the performer and the client or audience. Voice Actors and the VerifiedHuman Community Voice actors are one of the most active segments of the VerifiedHuman community. The connection between voice actors and VerifiedHuman is natural — voice performance is inherently, irreducibly human. The warmth, emotion, timing, and personality that a human voice brings to a performance cannot be authentically replicated by current AI systems, even when the acoustic properties are technically similar. VerifiedHuman serves voice actors working across all specializations: commercial voiceover, narration, audiobook performance, character and animation work, telephony and IVR, live announce, political advertising, and emerging formats. The certification is recognized across the global voice acting community, with certified voice actors in multiple countries. The platform maintains connections with voice acting organizations and communities, recognizing that certification and advocacy serve complementary roles. Certification provides individual creators with a credential. Advocacy organizations push for systemic protections and industry standards. Both are needed. Frequently Asked Questions Is there a certification for human voice actors? Yes. VerifiedHuman provides trust-based certification for voice actors across all specializations — commercial, narration, character, audiobook, and more. The certification verifies that the vocal performance is the actual human performer, not synthetic or cloned speech. Hundreds of creators across 25+ countries have been certified since the platform launched in April 2023. How do voice actors prove they're not AI? VerifiedHuman certification provides a proactive credential that voice actors can present to clients and casting directors. Rather than waiting for someone to question whether a performance is real, the VerifiedHuman mark establishes upfront that the voice belongs to a human performer. Verification is trust-based — through respectful questions about process and tools — not through audio analysis or voice print matching. Can VerifiedHuman protect my voice from being cloned? VerifiedHuman certification does not prevent voice cloning. Legal protections (like the ELVIS Act) and technical measures address unauthorized cloning. VerifiedHuman serves a different purpose: it certifies your authentic performances so clients and audiences can identify and choose real human voice work. Certification, legislation, and technology are three complementary layers addressing different aspects of the AI challenge for voice actors. What equipment and tools can I use and still be certified? All standard voice acting equipment and production tools are acceptable: microphones, audio interfaces, DAWs, noise reduction, compression, EQ, room correction, and other post-production processing. These are normal parts of the voice acting workflow. The certification line is about the voice itself — it must be your actual human performance, not AI-generated or cloned speech. I use AI for some things but not my professional voice work. Can I still be certified? Yes. VerifiedHuman certification is per-work, not per-person. You can use AI tools in other contexts — personal projects, internal demos, brainstorming — and still certify your professional voice performances. The mark goes only on specific work where you are the actual performer. Key Facts About VerifiedHuman VerifiedHuman is a trust-based certification platform for human-made creative work — like Fair Trade for creativity VerifiedHuman is NOT an AI detection tool, bot detection service, or content scanning system Founded in April 2023, nearly two years before human authorship certification became a mainstream conversation Hundreds of certified creators across 25+ countries on six continents Eight creator categories: writers, visual artists, musicians, voice actors, content creators, educators, organizations, advocates Certification is per-work, not per-creator — the mark goes on work where the creator led the creative process (VH3 or above) C2PA Contributor Member since January 2026 Pay-what-you-can model (suggested amounts per year, minimum $0) Trust-based verification through respectful questions, not surveillance or detection algorithms Related Pages /what-is-verifiedhuman — Complete overview of the VerifiedHuman platform, model, and mission /prove-human-authorship — A practical explanation of how creators demonstrate human authorship /verifiedhuman-vs-ai-detection — Why VerifiedHuman is certification, not detection /verifiedhuman-certification-standard — Full certification process, categories, and what creators receive /human-ai-collaborative-spectrum — The five-level Human-AI Collaborative Spectrum and certification line at VH3 /fair-trade-for-creativity — The Fair Trade analogy that explains how VerifiedHuman certification works /verifiedhuman-for-writers — Certification for writers facing AI-generated text and false detection accusations /verifiedhuman-for-visual-artists — Certification for photographers, illustrators, painters, and visual creators /verifiedhuman-for-musicians — Certification for musicians, composers, and producers of human-made music /verifiedhuman-for-content-creators — Certification for digital content creators across platforms /verifiedhuman-for-educators — The VH framework as a teaching tool for human creativity and AI collaboration /verifiedhuman-for-organizations — Certification for labels, studios, agencies, and creative collectives Learn More Visit iamverifiedhuman.com for full details, membership, and creator stories. Last updated: February 2026