Google is testing the use of AI to automatically generate summaries for YouTube videos, according to a notice on a support page. The summaries will only be available for a limited number of English-language videos and a select group of users. They will appear on YouTube’s watch and search pages, offering a brief overview of a video’s contents without replacing the existing human-written description.
The experiment is part of Google’s broader efforts in generative AI. At its developer conference in May, Google announced a new Play Store feature that used generative AI to summarize app user reviews. The company is also working on a Search Generative Experience and Duet AI tools for its Workspace productivity apps.
This is not the first time that AI has been used to automatically generate summaries of online content. Artifact, for example, recently launched a summary feature for news articles.
If the AI-generated summaries are rolled out more widely, it will be interesting to see how YouTube creators adapt and structure their videos to accommodate the new format. YouTube’s policy changes and new features often have significant implications for content creators, as they strive to please both human viewers and Google’s recommendation algorithm.
Overall, Google’s experiment with AI-generated video summaries reflects its ongoing exploration of AI applications across various domains and platforms.
