How to disclose affiliate links in AI content
Last updated · By Orenston
Short answer: if you earn a commission from a link, say so clearly and close to the recommendation, in the same format as the content. A short line like "#ad" or "I earn a commission if you buy through this link" at the start of a post, and on screen and spoken in a video, follows the FTC's staff guidance. Using AI to make the content doesn't change any of this.
What the FTC says
- Disclose a connection that a significant minority of consumers wouldn't expect, clearly and conspicuously.
- For affiliate links, the FTC gives "I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post" as example wording. "Paid link" right next to the link should also work.
- "Affiliate link" alone, a "buy now" button, or "commissionable link" may not be clear enough.
- A disclosure only on your home page, behind a "Disclosure" link, or in the comments is not enough.
- "#ad", "Ad:" or "ad" at the beginning of a post are about equally effective. A disclosure buried at the end among other hashtags is easier to miss.
Video and short-form content
If an endorsement is spoken, the disclosure should be spoken too. If it's visual, it should be on screen. The FTC says a disclosure in a TikTok or YouTube description is unlikely to be enough on its own, so put it in the video, ideally both on screen and out loud, near the start.
Where AI changes things
- Don't fake experience. An endorsement has to reflect real experience. An AI voice or avatar shouldn't claim to have used a product.
- Label realistic AI media. This is separate from affiliate disclosure. YouTube and TikTok each require labels on realistic AI-generated content.
- Check every claim. The FTC says endorsers can be liable for claims that aren't substantiated. AI drafts often add claims nobody can back up, so cut them.
Copy-ready disclosures
- Caption start:
#ad I earn a commission if you buy through my link. - Video, on screen and spoken:
Ad: I get paid if you buy through the link below. - Next to a link:
Paid link
This is a summary of FTC staff guidance, not legal advice. Read the source below, check each affiliate program's own terms, and see Orenston's affiliate disclosure.
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FAQ
Is #ad enough for affiliate links?
FTC staff guidance says "#ad", "Ad:" or "ad" at the beginning of a post are probably equally effective. Placement matters: it should be easy to notice, not buried at the end among other hashtags.
Can I put my affiliate disclosure in the video description?
According to FTC staff guidance, a description alone is easy to miss. Put the disclosure in the video itself, preferably on screen and spoken, and also near the link in the description.
Do AI-generated posts need an affiliate disclosure?
Yes. The disclosure rules depend on your connection to the brand, not on how the content was made.