YouTube trialing AI that fast-forwards to the best video segments

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YouTube is currently experimenting with a fresh AI-powered function that permits users to skip to the most exciting parts of a video.

This new feature, known as “jump ahead,” makes use of AI technology to fast-forward to the highlights of a YouTube video.

Initially, this feature is undergoing trials and is solely accessible to specific YouTube Premium subscribers in the United States.

The jump ahead feature utilizes an AI-driven recommendation system that examines a user’s viewing habits and forecasts the segments viewers would prefer to watch. Whenever a YouTube user taps the screen twice to skip forward, a new button on applicable videos will leap to the AI-predicted section in the video timeline.

As per 9to5Google, many individuals who utilize YouTube on their Android or iOS devices are already acquainted with the double-tap feature for skipping through videos. By tapping the screen twice in quick succession, the viewer advances by 10-second intervals. With each subsequent tap, more time is skipped until the user stops tapping at the desired point in the video.

In line with 9to5Google’s report, YouTube’s experimental jump ahead function mirrors the 10-second skip shortcut but goes a step further by analyzing user data to identify significant parts of a video. Depending on the user’s position in the jump ahead feature, they will be directed to the next crucial juncture in the video.

Creator Insider, a YouTube channel that imparts insights from the platform’s technical team to content creators,delivered more insights on this AI-powered function.

“The concept behind this feature is that if a viewer engages in the double-tap to skip ahead on an appropriate segment, a jump ahead button will appear, guiding them to the next anticipated part in the video,” expounds Creator Insider in a recent video.

Moreover, this attribute will also be at the disposal of content creators when they watch their own videos.

It remains unclear whether this functionality will be permanently integrated following the trial run with chosen Premium subscribers in the U.S. or if it will be extended to non-Premium users on the platform. Additionally, YouTube has not disclosed the criteria determining a video’s eligibility for the jump ahead capability.