YouTube testing out new AI features in videos

YouTube is testing out a pair of interesting new experimental AI features.

The Google-owned video service is tweaking things again, this time with a couple of AI-based experiments.

One of these experiments involves using AI to organise large comments sections, providing helpful summaries that enable content creators to either jump into conversations or simply get the gist of what their audience is interested in. YouTube notes that blocked words and users, as well as any comments that are up for review, will not be included in these summaries.

It’s only running on a small number of English-language videos with lengthy comment sections right now. YouTube Premium subscribers should keep an eye on youtube.com/new to see if you can opt in.

The other AI-based experiment that YouTube is running right now is a conversational AI tool that gives you answers about the video you’re watching, as well as providing recommendations for other videos – all while playback is underway. YouTube points out that academic videos could use this feature to provide quizzes.

Those who are part of the experiment can test it out by tapping the little sparkly AI Asks icon beneath selected videos and start asking questions. While it’s only available to a small number of people right now, YouTube Premium members in the U.S. on Android devices will be able to join the experiment over at the same youtube.com/new website.

It seems most of us will be locked out of these latest YouTube experiments, then. But they do offer a handy signpost to one possible future for the world’s most popular video service.