YouTube Tests AI Video Summaries in Search

YouTube is experimenting with AI-powered summaries in its search results for a select group of users. This feature aims to help viewers find relevant information faster by highlighting key moments within videos.

How AI-Powered Search Works

This new feature uses AI to analyze videos and surface the most relevant clips based on a user's search query. A carousel of these AI-generated summaries appears in search results, offering quick insights into video content.

Initially, the test focuses on two main search types:

  • Product searches (e.g., "best noise cancelling headphones")
  • Location-based searches (e.g., "museums to visit in San Francisco")

Limited Testing with YouTube Premium Members

Currently, this feature is available to a small group of YouTube Premium members in the US and limited to English-language searches. YouTube encourages feedback from these testers, allowing them to rate the feature with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down.

YouTube's Experimentation Process

This test aligns with YouTube's ongoing efforts to improve user experience. The platform regularly experiments with new features before wider release, gathering user feedback to inform development.

YouTube product teams are constantly testing out new tools and features to help users find, watch, share, and create content more easily.

Impact on Creators and SEO

These AI-powered summaries present both opportunities and challenges for content creators and SEO professionals. While they can improve content discoverability, they also raise questions about potential impacts on click-through rates and how AI selects featured content.

Some creators might adapt their video structure to accommodate this new feature, creating clearly defined segments that AI can easily identify and highlight.

Future of AI in YouTube Search

This experiment reflects the growing integration of AI across Alphabet's platforms. While a broader rollout date hasn't been announced, the rapid expansion of similar AI features on Google suggests this could happen soon if testing is successful.

See also: YouTube Expands AI-Generated Video Summaries, Adds New Tools