Image credits: Alexander Shatov / Unsplash
YouTube to begin experimenting with new generative AI features, company announcement Today. As part of the premium plan available to paying subscribers, YouTube users will be able to try a new conversational tool that uses AI to answer questions about YouTube content and make recommendations, as well as try a new feature that will summarize the topics covered in the comments of a video.
Both features will be available through the YouTube hub for new experiences, youtube.com/new, on a voluntary basis. The conversational tool will arrive in the coming weeks while the topic summary tool will begin testing only with a small group of users who sign up for the experience through the website.
YouTube explains that the conventional tool's responses will be generated by large language models that draw on information from YouTube and the web and are designed to help viewers “dig deeper” into the content they are watching. For example, participants will be able to ask questions about the video they are currently watching or request other things to watch similar to the video using actions such as “recommend related content”. These conversations with the AI can take place while the video is streaming, so as not to interrupt playback.
![](https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/YouChat_External_GIFw_disclaimer.gif?w=332)
Image credits: Youtube
The feature will initially be offered only in the United States and on Android devices via a new “Ask” option on the video watch page. YouTube Premium members can participate in this test starting today, but it won't appear on all YouTube videos yet. The tool is currently being tested with a select group of users, but will be available as an option to YouTube Premium members in the coming weeks.
Comment Summary, meanwhile, will leverage generative AI to organize and summarize discussion topics in large comment sections below a video to allow viewers to catch up on what people have said. YouTube believes this feature can also be useful to creators to help them know what their channel subscribers are talking about without having to read all the comments one by one. It could also help them find inspiration for new videos based on comment topics, YouTube suggests. Additionally, if creators want to remove comment topics, they will be able to delete all comments that appear under certain topics.
![](https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Comment-Topics-Disclaimer-1.gif?w=322)
Image credits: Youtube
Topics will be summarized based only on posted comments, not those held for review or those containing blocked words or from blocked users, YouTube also notes.
This experiment, which is now taking place on a small number of videos, will for the moment only be available in English.
YouTube says testing will continue over the coming weeks and months as the company gathers feedback on how consumers use the new features.
Google has been experimenting with AI across its entire product line, from search to workspace to consumer apps like Photos and Assistant and more. On YouTube specifically, the company has also experimented with AI-powered ads which allows brands to target cultural moments and has rolled out a number of creator-focused AI features, including tools for finding music for videos, AI-based voice actingmore “Dream Screen”, a generative AI feature which allows you to create a background image or video for YouTube Shorts. YouTube Music also recently introduces AI-generated playlists. And YouTube had already experimented AI-generated video summaries And quizzes on educational videos.
“These features are experimental and we don't always get it right. That’s why we’re starting small with limited availability and collecting feedback,” YouTube said in its announcement. The company said users will be able to submit feedback themselves directly within the tools.