Google’s YouTube is set to introduce new generative AI features on its video-sharing platform, as the company aims to keep pace with rivals such as OpenAI Inc. and Microsoft Corp. Both competitors have already launched their own consumer-friendly AI products, such as chatbots and image-creating services.
Neal Mohan, YouTube’s new CEO, recently wrote to the platform’s community and highlighted the immense potential of AI to revolutionize video content and make the impossible possible.
YouTube creators will soon be able to use AI’s generative capabilities to create “fantastical film settings” and swap outfits virtually in their videos. Google, which owns Alphabet Inc., is under pressure to release generative AI products that can generate detailed text answers or create brand-new images based on information they’ve ingested from the internet and other digital sources.
Despite being viewed as an AI pioneer, Google has been criticized for not rolling out its own AI tools and services that are ready for public consumption.
In recent months, Google’s rivals have released popular products, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft Corp.’s Bing chatbot. However, some concerns have been raised about the accuracy and tone of the freewheeling conversations and scripts generated by these chatbots.
Google has responded by announcing its own ChatGPT competitor, Bard, in early February. With the rise of AI-powered chatbots, some speculate that they could upend Google’s flagship internet-search business, prompting the company to declare a “code red” last year.
In his note to the YouTube community, Mohan signalled that Google would take a cautious approach, developing its generative AI features “with thoughtful guardrails” and “protections to embrace this technology responsibly.”
