Sick of the same types of videos every time you log into YouTube? The video streaming platform has a new way to shake up what you see on your home feed using AI.
YouTube is rolling out a new feature that lets you create a personalized feed based on a prompt describing your interests. In its announcement, YouTube suggests prompts such as unwinding after work with 10-minute guided meditations or something different from your usual interests. And you can save your prompt as a pin at the top of your Home page to revisit it. The AI customized feed feature is available now and rolling out to US viewers signed in on the YouTube mobile or desktop app.
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How YouTube’s new AI feature works
Here’s how it works: You’ll tap the “Your custom feed” chip on the Home page and enter a prompt that describes the video you’re looking for. You can also choose from YouTube’s suggested prompts for a custom feed. YouTube says you can edit the prompt at any time, but each account can only have one custom feed.
“Custom feeds will surface videos most relevant to the specific topics or themes they’ve defined and prompts will expire after a few weeks of inactivity,” a YouTube representative said in an email to CNET.
The representative said that each account can only have one custom feed, and it will be available on web and mobile in the US. It’s unclear if or when the feature will be available internationally or on TV apps.
To enable the feature, you’ll need to turn your search and watch history on in your account settings. Google recommends using the Help Center if you have trouble using the feature. YouTube hasn’t shared what data will be used to generate the feed or if it will be saved.
The AI-powered customization tool is one of several AI updates for YouTube, including automatic AI detection and clear labels for AI-generated content. And Google’s Ask YouTube is a search feature that will find the exact part of a video that answers your question.
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The trouble with content creation and AI
The big question is what YouTube’s new AI feature will mean for content creators. We’re unsure how the tool will interpret prompts — whether it’s based on your watch history or keywords. Will it focus on videos that are already popular? And will it focus on newer creators or those with high view counts?
AI features are increasingly appearing in search results, and publishers and content creators are often seeing their traffic drop as a result. It’s possible a similar outcome could happen on YouTube.
