Ask YouTube: YouTube gets AI search

At I/O, Google introduced an AI search for YouTube: "Ask YouTube" is an alternative to the previous Google search, which primarily outputs text with embedded video sources instead of videos. The answers are based on the complete catalog of videos published on YouTube.

Users can then click on the videos to watch them or ask follow-up questions. Ask YouTube thus functions similarly to other LLM chatbots, but can apparently search deeper within YouTube videos. YouTube cites the ability to ask for tips for cycling or video game recommendations as an example of its use.

Ask YouTube searches both standard videos and Shorts short videos. In the US, Premium subscribers aged 18 and over can already try out Ask YouTube. Google promises that the function will soon be available to all users – regardless of whether they pay for a subscription or not.

Remixing with Omni

Another AI function is aimed at creators of short videos: the video model Omni will be integrated into the Remix function for YouTube Shorts. This is the ability to reuse videos from other YouTubers as Shorts – for example, for reaction videos. With the help of prompts, Omni will enable more profound changes to videos in the future than before. Google gives the example that with Omni, a scene can be transported into a 90s setting or you can naturally embed yourself into a Shorts video.

The video will not be completely AI-generated; instead, existing video elements will be adapted by the model as desired. Such modified videos will be marked with a watermark, YouTube promises. Among other things, it should also be ensured that they link to the original video. Anyone who does not want their own video to be "remixed" by others using AI can disable the function for their own content. "Remixing with Omni" will be rolled out to all users starting Tuesday.

(dahe)