YouTube is preparing to introduce more suspense into its videos, in a 100% artificial way, for users of the free version. This involves letting an AI choose the best moments to cut content with ads. A potentially very effective technique for increasing the impact of ads.
Google regularly adds new features to YouTube. But while these are often aimed at users, others… at advertisers. The latest innovation the platform is preparing to roll out is, as you'll have understood, primarily designed for the latter—and it's rather clever for increasing the impact of ads that cut into the content of those who watch the videos for free.
Named Peak Points, this AI-powered feature determines the passages in videos that generate the most interest. Before inserting a mandatory targeted ad. In this way, the ad abruptly cuts off a moment when tension is mounting. The resolution of this tension is only visible after the ad has aired.
YouTube uses AI to implement an emotional marketing technique
The concept capitalizes on a widespread psychological bias: user attention peaks when tension mounts. By offering advertising, the AdSense network ensures that the impact of the adverts is maximized. This will allow Alphabet to increase its advertising revenue, both by maximizing the viewing of its ads and by promoting these inserts to advertisers.
In one example, Google shows how its AI detects a couple's marriage proposal in a piece of content, to ideally place an advertising window. In technical details, the firm relies on Gemini to automatically analyze videos and thus determine the moments when emotion is at its peak. Everything seems to be built on features tested for several months with certain users.
For example, the engagement curve, which visually shows the most watched sections of videos. Spotted by our colleagues at TechCrunch, Peak Points was unveiled during a special briefing by Google at an event Wednesday in New York. These placements should begin appearing in the coming weeks. Of course, it's a safe bet that some Internet users will find these new cuts frustrating.
Which is also, one might think, the firm's intention. After all, doesn't the addition of these inserts reinforce the appeal of paying for the YouTube Premium subscription that removes all ads?
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