YouTube Shorts surpasses 70bn daily views as YouTube unveils GenAI products for creators

By Onome Amuge.

YouTube Shorts, the short-form section of the video-sharing website YouTube, has reached over 70 billion daily reviews from over two billion signed-in users every month.

The online video sharing and social media platform made the announcement at the just concluded annual Made on YouTube event, where it unveiled a suite of AI-powered capabilities that will help both new and established creators and artists create, edit, and share content in bold new ways.

YouTube noted that these AI-powered tools will help unlock powerful new forms of creative expression, take the friction out of the creative process, and allow YouTube creators to reach more viewers,underscoring YouTube’s commitment to innovation and also set a new benchmark for the digital content landscape.

Showcasing the limitless potential AI can bring to creators, artists and the creative industry,Youtube announced the introduction of Dream Screen, a new generative AI feature to unlock creative expression on Shorts.

 According to YouTube, Dream Screen is a new experimental feature that allows creators to add AI-generated video or image backgrounds to their Shorts simply by typing an idea into a prompt. With Dream Screen, creators will be able to generate new, fantastic settings for their Shorts that are only limited by bounds of their imagination.

The video sharing platform also  launched YouTube Create,  to help take the work out of video production.  Also, the new mobile app was designed to empower creators to get started with a suite of production tools to edit their Shorts, longer videos, or both.

The app offers video editing tools including precision editing and trimming, automatic captioning, voiceover capabilities and access to a library of filters, effects, transitions and royalty-free music with beat matching technology so that creators can produce their next YouTube video without relying on complex editing software.

YouTube  disclosed that it has consulted with more than 3000 creators in the process of building YouTube Create, noting that the app is Currently free of charge  in beta on Android in select markets including the United States, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Indonesia, India, Korea, and Singapore.

Some other  ways that YouTube is helping take the heavy lifting off creators and giving them more efficient tools to help them come up with new ideas and reach new audiences include the forthcoming introduction of Aloud, an AI-powered dubbing tool into YouTube to enable  creators to easily reach audiences well beyond their primary language.

Available to select creators, the feature is currently being tested in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Another innovation expected to commence on the platform next year  is an assistive search in ‘Creator Music’ that will make it easier for creators to find a soundtrack for their video. Through this, creators can simply type in a search query and AI will suggest the right music at the right place.

“Creator Music is currently available in the US, and we look forward to expanding as quickly as possible,” YouTube said.

Also in 2024, YouTube Studio will tap generative AI to spark video ideas and draft outlines to help creators brainstorm. These insights are personalized for each channel and based on what audiences are already watching and interested in.

YouTube noted that it has been testing early versions of AI-powered tools in YouTube Studio with creators, and more than 70 per cent of those surveyed said it has helped them develop and test ideas for videos.

Commenting on the development, Neal Mohan, YouTube’s chief executive officer said the new updates will help creators and artists push the boundaries of creative expression  by making the difficult things simple and impossible dreams possible. This, he added, will Make it easier for creators anywhere to create content they love, which is core to YouTube’s commitment to putting creative power into the hands of billions of people.

“Today is the start of a new era of creativity. We can’t wait to see what our incredible community of creators and artists make on YouTube,” Mohan said.

The development was also commended by YouTube creators, who expressed excitement on the growing impact of the innovations and how it will help enhance user experience.