YouTube is set to enhance its TV application with an AI feature that allows users to skip directly to the most engaging parts of videos. According to a report from Android Authority’s Mishaal Rahman, the Jump Ahead feature has surfaced on his Nvidia Shield TV, transitioning from its previous exclusivity on web and mobile versions for YouTube Premium subscribers.
Jump Ahead utilizes artificial intelligence to determine the segments of videos that audiences frequent, enabling users to navigate effortlessly to the highlights. Although the feature began its testing phase last year and was eventually made available on web and mobile for Premium subscribers, users of the larger screen have had to wait until now for access to this capability, especially as it marks the primary viewing medium in the US.
Premium users can enable Jump Ahead by double-tapping the fast-forward button on the video player, which shifts them to the next highlighted section. However, on TV, users need to utilize the right arrow on their remote to find the next most-viewed segment, indicated by a dot on the progress bar. Another press of the right arrow will take users directly to that part of the video instead of the standard ten-second jump. When utilizing this feature, Rahman noted a prompt stating “Jumping over commonly skipped section.”
While YouTube’s support documentation states that Jump Ahead is now “available on Living Room,” the extent of its rollout remains uncertain. It does not yet appear to be broadly accessible on various TV models, and YouTube has yet to issue an official announcement surrounding the feature’s launch. Reports from users on platforms like Reddit suggest it has been seen on some Samsung TVs, and Android Police has also identified it on a Google TV streamer. Requests for further details regarding the rollout have been made to Google.
