YouTube has started testing a chatbot called “YouChat” that can initiate a dialogue with viewers and allow them to go beyond the simple content they can watch on the platform. This new tool, currently being tested with a small number of users on a selection of videos, will be gradually made available to YouTube Premium members in the US on Android devices in the coming weeks.
More immersion in the content
Users with access to this experimental feature can interact with the chatbot by clicking the “Ask” button below the selected videos. They can start a conversation by asking questions about the current video or selecting a suggested prompt. According to a YouTube spokesperson, this new tool is not based on Google’s Bard chatbot, but rather uses advanced language models that draw on data from the YouTube platform and the web.
At the same time, YouTube is experimenting with another generative AI feature that aggregates topics into large comment sections. The goal of this feature is to make it easier for viewers to watch and follow discussions and to allow creators a quick overview of discussions initiated by their subscribers. This test is currently being conducted on a limited number of English videos and has received many reactions in the comments section.
© YouTube
“In the coming weeks and months, we will learn more about how viewers are using these new features and will continue to roll out additional updates to make YouTube even more relevant and useful,” a YouTube representative said, adding that the platform is continuing its Takes responsibility seriously when introducing new features. A way to calm down when bots can sometimes hallucinate and say anything.
These new features join a range of other AI-powered tools announced back in September at the Made on YouTube creator event. These include YouTube Create, a new application that makes video editing easier by automating effects, filters and transitions; Dream Screen, a feature that can generate video and still image backgrounds via AI for Shorts; and Aloud, an AI-automated syncing tool.