YouTube to use ML to automatically generate video chapters

YouTube will use Machine Learning to recognise text in order to auto publish video chapters. The feature is currently getting tested with a small group of users.

YouTube is testing machine learning-based auto-generated video chapters (REUTERS)

YouTube is working on a new feature that will help automatically generate video chapters. The company is currently testing the feature with select users. There is no word on the official roll-out of the feature as yet.

YouTube on its support page confirmed that it will use machine learning to help generate video chapters. The tool is likely to help reduce stress on creators to manually add timestamps.

“We'll use machine learning to recognize text in order to auto-generate video chapters. We're testing this out with a small group of videos,” said YouTube.

In case you did not know, YouTube had rolled out video chapters in May this year. The new functionality allows viewers to quickly skip to the precise part of the video they want to watch. The tool could come in handy for longer video formats such as explainers, round tables, interviews, and more.

Evidently, creators have not fully embraced the new feature. It could be mainly because the video chapters rely on creators' to put captions along with time stamps. The description duration could be up to 10 seconds long.

A machine learning-based chapters tool could make it easier for creators to implement in their videos. That said, it is yet to be seen how accurate these automatically generated chapters will be. In case it does not work out, creators may be more reluctant to use it.

Separately, YouTube is facing scrutiny over its measures to control fake news, conspiracy theories, and misleading content on its platform. A group of US Senate Democrats has urged the company to take down videos with “false and misleading” information about the election.

“These videos seek to undermine our democracy and cast doubt on the legitimacy of President-elect Biden's incoming administration,” Senators Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, and Gary Peters of Michigan wrote. “Moreover, because the current president has not committed to a peaceful transition of power, misinformation and manipulated media content on your platform may fuel civil unrest.”

Apart from YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have also come under scrutiny over management of such content on their platforms.