Google Upgrades Bard AI's YouTube Extension To Better Answer Questions About Videos

Google has upgraded Bard AI's YouTube extension to allow the chatbot to better answer questions about videos by giving out specific responses to queries related to the content.

The chatbot's YouTube extension was initially launched last September and the latest development marks the first steps to trying to have Bard AI understand YouTube videos. The tech giant said that if a user is looking for videos on a particular recipe, they can ask Bard AI about the ingredients needed.

Bard AI's Upgraded YouTube Extension

Google Upgrades Bard AI's YouTube Extension To Better Answer Questions About Videos

(Photo : OLIVIER MORIN / AFP) (OLIVIER MORIN/AFP via Getty Images)
Google has upgraded Bard AI's YouTube Extension to allow the chatbot to better answer questions about videos.

Google said that it has heard the need for deeper engagement with YouTube videos which prompted the company to expand the extension. It would now understand some video content so users can have a richer conversation with the chatbot regarding the content of the videos.

Prior to the latest update, Bard AI's YouTube Extension could only be used for specific videos. For example, a user could ask the chatbot to find funny videos. But now, they can also ask Bard AI-specific questions about the content of these videos, as per TechCrunch.

Furthermore, the chatbot can now be asked where a place is located if it has been watched in a travel video. Google's newest announcement also comes two weeks after the video streaming platform started experimenting with new generative AI features.

These include an AI conversational tool that would answer questions about YouTube's content along with a new feature that summarizes the topics in the comments of a video. The chatbot's responses are generated by large language models that leverage information from YouTube and the web in general.

Users can also ask questions about the video that they are currently watching and the conversation with the bot's AI happens as the video is playing. The comments summarizer tool leverages generative AI to organize the topics in order to give users a general overview of what people have been saying about the video.

The new update to Bard AI comes as Google is opening up access to the chatbot to teens in most countries worldwide. The tech giant said that teens can use the tool to "find aspiration, discover new hobbies, and solve everyday problems.

Answering Questions About Videos

Currently, the feature for Bard AI only exists as an opt-in Labs experience and it might take a little bit of time to get the answer that you are looking for. Trials of the feature showed that different prompts sometimes got no answer while alternative prompts would provide what was being asked for, according to The Verge.

While the feature could be very useful for users who watch YouTube videos, it also poses an issue to those who are creating those particular videos. It remains to be seen whether users would still watch content if they could simply ask Bard AI for the information that they provide.

Many creators make the most of their money from people watching their videos on YouTube directly and the Google Bard AI feature poses a threat to their livelihood. The tech giant needs to be able to manage a balance between its business future and not damaging YouTube's platform, said BGR.