Google today announced an upgrade to its AI chatbot Bard that inches the system closer to comprehending YouTube videos. With Bard's new "YouTube Extension," users can now pose questions about specifics within a YouTube video, such as ingredients and quantities called for in a recipe tutorial.
According to Google, this upgrade was prompted by user requests for "deeper engagement" with YouTube content. By enabling Bard to parse through videos and extract key information, Google aims to enrich the conversation and utility of the AI assistant.
We tested Bard’s enhanced “YouTube Extension” firsthand and found it impressively swift and mostly accurate at summarizing video content. When asked about a recent TED Talk by AI researcher Ilya Sutskever, Bard rapidly delivered a concise overview of Sutskever’s key points. We then posed a specific follow-up question regarding a detail in Sutskever’s presentation, which Bard answered accurately without needing to rewatch the video.
This functionality is unmatched among rival chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude, setting Bard apart. And it demonstrates promising versatility with potential applications in education, multimedia search, podcast engagement and more.
This video analysis skill has wide-ranging potential applications beyond just engaging with YouTube content. We could soon see Bard assisting with educational videos, podcast summarization, and more. The possibilities are extensive with an AI helper that can watch and comprehend visual media on your behalf.
However, as with any emergent technology, questions remain regarding how creators might be impacted or compensated as their content fuels the training of tools like Bard. And the ever-present issue of whether Big Tech can deploy such powerful AI responsibly.
Since its launch in March to mixed reactions, Bard has received ongoing upgrades to improve its capabilities and usefulness. This latest video analysis skill indicates Google's commitment to enhancing Bard's comprehension and making it an increasingly versatile tool for information seekers.
As AI continues progressing towards more human-like communication abilities, advancements like video comprehension move these systems closer to the Hollywood vision of bots conversing as naturally as people. However, responsible implementation remains critical as generative AI grows more powerful in the hands of Big Tech giants like Google