It’s been nearly a year since the introduction of AI Overviews in Google Search, and although they didn’t go over well, Google is showing increased interest. Consequently, AI Overviews are now moving forward to YouTube.
AI Overviews Will Appear on YouTube Search
It has been reported by Search Engine Land for the first time and confirmed by YouTube’s Help forum that YouTube is testing the AI Overviews in the search results. The feature will utilize AI when users search for specific queries, and the most relevant videos will be presented in a new “video results” carousel.
For every search, the feature will not be visible. According to the information provided by YouTube, the AI Overviews will primarily appear in product review-related searches, such as “best noise-canceling headphones,” or travel-related searches, like “things to do in Paris.”
As stated by YouTube, AI Overviews will let users “learn more about a certain topic” and “see more information about the topic they are searching for.”
Unlike the Google Search AI Overviews, which are almost exclusively text summaries, the YouTube AI does more to showcase generated video content—the very content type that video platform users have grown accustomed to.
YouTube is no stranger to the use of AI tools; the platform has previously added a conversational AI tool for Premium users in the U.S. This tool will allow users to inquire about the video they are watching or ask questions about related videos.
Challenges with AI Overviews
The most recent issue with AI Overviews in Search is that they have received severe criticism for providing inaccurate reports, misunderstanding users’ questions, and overshadowing genuine content publishers who add value.
It is feared that the same issues may emerge on YouTube, especially if the AI does not present all the videos evenly.
