Google Experimenting With New Generative AI Features for YouTube

Google today announced that it is testing two new generative AI features designed to improve the YouTube viewing experience. A select number of YouTube users will have access to these new additions during Google's testing period.

google ai youtube
For YouTube videos with long comment threads, YouTube will use artificial intelligence to organize them into themes or comment topics to facilitate conversation. Google says that creators can use these comment summaries to jump into comment discussions or draw inspiration for new content.

Topics are pulled from published comments, and will not be created from comments held for review or that include blocked words. The comment test is being done on mobile, so users who have access will see a star topic on a small number of videos in English.

YouTube is also gaining a conversational AI tool that is able to provide answers to questions about the video that you're watching. It can provide background information, offer up suggestions for related content, and more, without interrupting playback. For academic videos, the AI is able to provide quizzes and responses that Google says "encourage deeper understanding."

Conversational AI is available to a small number of people on a subset of videos, and those who have access will see a star icon.

While some users have access to these options for test purposes, YouTube Premium subscribers can opt in to these new features as the YouTube Premium subscription includes access to experimental features. Comment topics are available to premium members today, while the conversational AI option will be available in the coming weeks.

Google says that the AI features are experimental and that the company "may not always get it right," which is why these tests are available to a limited number of customers as Google collects feedback.

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Top Rated Comments

kmm333 Avatar
14 months ago
Why don’t they use AI to eliminate spam/scam comments?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bearinthetown Avatar
14 months ago
I bet this is going to mean further censorship on YouTube.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
14 months ago
Better would be to summarize these seemingly endless “influencer” videos to a paragraph or 2…
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
seanmcbay Avatar
14 months ago
Sounds terrible.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pezimak Avatar
14 months ago
Google is seeing how else it can screw up You Tube, every single year without fail, they update it and make it worst in some way. It’s a real talent they have, truly is. Amazes me every time they do it. For instance now you can’t refresh the comments section and you have to use two clicks to close a video and it freezes a few times now. All this AI will do is enhance how poor the app is.

When it comes to AI, Google is the company I trust the least over it, they are far far far far too keen and adventurous to literally try anything dangerous or not, then dump all support for it a week later! And only wonder if they should have done it when investigated and fined over it…
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Treq Avatar
14 months ago
What could possibly go wrong?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)