 "YouTube working on 'Play Something' feature for mobile app: What is it")
Google's video streaming platform YouTube is reportedly testing a new "Play Something" feature for its mobile app which will let YouTube play suggested videos. According to a report by 9To5Google, the new Play Something button appears as a floating action button on the latest beta version of the YouTube app on Android.
According to the report, the Play Something button appears in place of the minimised video player upon opening the app. Tapping the button starts playing a video that has been selected by YouTube, taking the user's video preference into account. The video player appears in portrait orientation with buttons for Like, Dislike, Comment and share on the right side of the screen. Although the video player appears to be similar to that of YouTube Shorts, the Play Something Button also plays regular YouTube videos in the same portrait orientation.
If there is an active minimised video player, the Play Something floating button is inaccessible.
Last month, YouTube revealed that it is testing a new feature allowing creators to "restyle" licensed audio tracks using artificial intelligence for YouTube Shorts. This experimental "restyle" option is part of YouTube's Dream Track initiative and is currently available to a select group of creators with access to a limited selection of songs.
Creators participating in the experiment can choose an eligible song and specify how they would like it to be altered. The AI then generates a 30-second soundtrack tailored for YouTube Shorts. For example, if a creator wants to transform the genre of a song, they can prompt the AI with "Restyle this track." The feature will then produce a custom soundtrack that "reimagines" the music, while keeping the original vocals and lyrics intact.