YouTube Adds AI Overviews Like Google for Better Search
▼ Summary
– Google is introducing an AI-powered search results carousel for YouTube Premium members in the US, focusing on shopping, travel, and local activities.
– The carousel displays a large video clip, thumbnails of related videos, and AI-generated text responses to search queries.
– The feature is currently limited to iOS and Android, available only in English, and will be tested until July 30th.
– Only a randomly selected group of YouTube Premium members will have access to the AI search carousel during the testing phase.
– YouTube is expanding its conversational AI tool, previously launched in 2023, to some non-Premium users in the US.
YouTube is testing an AI-powered search feature similar to Google’s Overviews, aiming to enhance how users discover videos. The platform is rolling out a new “AI-powered search results carousel” for select YouTube Premium members in the U.S., focusing on queries related to shopping, travel, and local activities.
When users search for these topics, they’ll see a prominent video clip at the top of the results, followed by thumbnails of related videos. An AI-generated summary will also appear, providing a quick response to the search query. Tapping the main video expands it to full screen, while the additional clips remain accessible below.
Currently, the feature is limited to iOS and Android devices, with support only for English-language videos. YouTube notes that access is restricted to a randomly chosen group of Premium subscribers as part of a trial running until July 30. The company has shared details about the experiment on its official testing page.
In addition to the search carousel, YouTube is expanding its conversational AI tool, which allows viewers to ask questions about videos. Originally launched in 2023, this feature is now being made available to some non-Premium users in the U.S., signaling a broader push toward integrating AI across the platform.
These updates highlight YouTube’s ongoing efforts to refine content discovery using artificial intelligence, following trends set by other tech giants. The changes could significantly alter how users interact with search results, making it easier to find relevant videos quickly.
(Source: The Verge)
