# Google Gemini Live’s “Ask About This Video” Feature: A Recognizable Reflection of YouTube’s AI Trial
Google seems to be reinforcing its commitment to weave conversational AI into everyday user interactions. Recent findings in the beta version of the Google app indicate that Gemini Live, Google’s AI framework, may soon introduce a functionality known as “Ask about this video” for YouTube. This capability would enable users to participate in an interactive discussion concerning a video’s content, which includes posing follow-up questions. Nevertheless, this development evokes a notable resemblance to a feature YouTube trialed last year, prompting inquiries about whether Gemini Live is enhancing—or merely reintroducing—a previously explored idea.
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## **Essential Information**
– **New Feature of Gemini Live:** The beta version of the Google app suggests a feature that will allow users to inquire about YouTube videos in real-time.
– **Incorporation of Conversational AI:** The feature is expected to let users have discussions with Gemini Live regarding the video’s content, including follow-up inquiries.
– **YouTube’s Previous Trial:** In 2022, YouTube experimented with a comparable AI-driven conversational feature available to Premium users, providing functions such as video summarization and suggestions for related content.
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## **Gemini Live and YouTube: A Unified AI Experience**
The identification of this feature was made by AssembleDebug, reported by Android Authority, through a review of the beta version of the Google app (v15.46.31.ve.arm64). The code implies that Gemini Live could soon align with YouTube to present a “conversation mode.” This mode would facilitate user interaction with the AI by permitting questions about the video being viewed.
A leaked image of the functionality reveals an “Ask about this video” button integrated within Gemini Live’s interface. Activating this button would allow users to query the AI regarding the video’s content, along with the option to seek follow-up answers for more profound understanding.
Notably, the code also intimates that users might need to elevate their device’s volume to “hear Gemini,” suggesting the likelihood of audio responses. However, it is uncertain whether users will be capable of voicing questions or if typing will remain the primary interaction mode.
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## **Déjà Vu: YouTube’s 2022 AI Trial**
This emerging feature closely mirrors an AI trial executed by YouTube in 2022. During that evaluation, YouTube provided Premium users with a conversational AI tool permitting them to inquire about videos. This tool featured an “Ask” button, adorned with a star icon, positioned beneath the video alongside the Share and Like buttons.
Testers were offered three query suggestions:
1. “Summarize this video.”
2. “Tell me more about this topic.”
3. “Recommend related content.”
While Gemini Live’s suggested feature seems to lack a summarization option, it retains the function to pose follow-up questions and further explore the video’s themes. This overlap prompts the question: Is Gemini Live merely reviving YouTube’s past experiment in a fresh guise?
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## **Broadening Gemini Live’s Features**
The incorporation of conversational AI into YouTube is just one of many speculated improvements for Gemini Live. Beyond its anticipated app launch on iOS, Gemini Live is reportedly looking into file management functionalities via Google Drive. These advancements imply that Google is positioning Gemini Live as a multifunctional AI assistant capable of tackling various tasks, from file management to enhancing video experiences.
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## **Significance of This Development**
The introduction of conversational AI into platforms such as YouTube signifies a remarkable transformation in user interaction with content. By facilitating real-time discussions about videos, Google is not only amplifying user engagement but also offering a more personalized and interactive viewing journey.
However, the parallels between Gemini Live’s proposed feature and YouTube’s earlier trial underscore the challenges of innovation in the AI domain. As technology enterprises strive to meld AI into their offerings, the distinction between improving upon existing concepts and recycling old ones can often become murky.
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## **Future Outlook**
Although the “Ask about this video” feature is currently in the beta phase, its potential incorporation into Gemini Live might herald a new chapter of conversational AI for Google. Whether this feature will succeed beyond where YouTube’s trial concluded remains an open question.
For the time being, one fact stands clear: Google is dedicated to embedding AI as a fundamental element of its ecosystem, and Gemini Live is poised to become a crucial component of that initiative. Through platforms like YouTube, Google Drive, or others, Gemini Live’s progression will undoubtedly be intriguing to observe in the upcoming months.
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*(Image credits: Derrek Lee / Android Central; Android Authority)*
