YouTube is currently experimenting with a new AI-powered tool designed to assist creators in automatically dubbing their videos into different languages. The announcement was made by YouTube at VidCon, where the company revealed its collaboration with Aloud, an AI-driven dubbing service developed within Google’s Area 120 incubator.
Earlier this year, YouTube introduced support for multi-language audio tracks, enabling creators to add dubbing to both new and existing videos, thereby expanding their reach to a broader international audience. According to TechCrunch, creators have already dubbed over 10,000 videos in more than 70 languages as of June 2023.
Previously, creators had to engage third-party dubbing providers, which could be a time-consuming and expensive process. However, Aloud, the AI-powered dubbing tool, allows creators to dub their videos at no additional cost.
Aloud, introduced by Google in 2022, works by transcribing the video for the creator, translating the content, and then producing a dubbed version. Creators have the opportunity to review and edit the transcription before Aloud generates the dub.
YouTube is currently testing the tool with hundreds of creators, as confirmed by Amjad Hanif, YouTube’s VP of Creator Products, during the VidCon event. The company plans to make the tool available to all creators in the near future. While Aloud currently supports English, Spanish, and Portuguese, YouTube intends to expand the range of languages offered, including Hindi and Bahasa-Indonesia, among others.
Hanif also mentioned YouTube’s aim to enhance the quality of translated audio tracks, making them sound more like the creator’s own voice with improved expression and lip synchronization. YouTube confirmed to TechCrunch that generative AI capabilities are in the works, which will eventually enable Aloud to incorporate features such as voice preservation, better emotion transfer, and lip reanimation. By providing a user-friendly solution, YouTube aims to foster a more inclusive and accessible video-sharing experience for both creators and viewers alike.
As YouTube continues to refine and expand the capabilities of the Aloud tool, users can anticipate an even more immersive and personalized video experience in the future, with translated audio tracks that closely resemble the original creator’s voice, effectively breaking down language barriers and promoting cross-cultural communication on the platform.
