Commercial use of AI video is not one checkbox. Teams need to understand the rights attached to each input, the scope of the campaign, and any review required by the model or platform they plan to use.
Define the commercial use precisely
The phrase commercial use can hide important differences. A paid social campaign, a product explainer, a sales presentation, and an internal training clip may involve different audiences, channels, territories, and durations. Write down the planned use in operational terms so reviewers can assess the actual request.
Include the campaign or product, distribution channels, intended audience, markets, run dates, and whether the video may be edited or reused. If those details are still undecided, mark them as unknown instead of expanding the scope by default. A narrow, honest brief is easier to review than a broad future-use statement.
Check every input, not just the final video
A generated video may draw on a human likeness, voice, branded environment, reference image, script, and other source material. Each input can carry separate permission and usage conditions. Keep a list of assets and connect each one to its supporting evidence and the intended use.
Do not assume that permission to create an asset also grants every advertising, merchandising, or distribution right. The relevant terms can depend on contracts, law, provider rules, and the exact context. Ask qualified counsel when a planned commercial use raises a legal question.
Keep provider review visible
Some model or platform workflows may require upstream review. Treat that process as its own dependency: note the provider, submitted materials, current response, and any limitations that came with the decision. A draft brief or internally prepared package is not evidence that a provider has received or approved it.
When a provider has not issued a decision, communicate that state clearly to production, account, and legal teams. Do not let a green internal checklist stand in for an external review. The production plan should reflect the real status and include time to resolve open questions.
Use a pre-production checkpoint
Before production, compare the campaign brief with each asset's documented scope. Confirm that the intended channel, territory, term, and audience fit the available permission and any provider conditions. Assign a person to resolve mismatches and record the result rather than relying on hallway approvals.
Approved.video focuses on making rights records and review status easier for studio and app teams to connect to their own workflows. Provider access and approvals depend on authorized upstream integrations; the platform does not turn a record into blanket commercial permission.
CLARIFICATIONS
Questions & answers
Can a commercial AI video use be assumed from a talent release?
No. The release language, planned use, other assets, provider terms, and applicable law all matter. Have counsel review the intended use.
Who issues model-specific approval?
The authorized model or platform provider issues its own decision. Internal documentation should not be presented as a provider approval.