YouTube unveils new auto-dubbing tool to help creators reach wider audiences

YouTube has announced further details on its planned expansion of an auto-dubbing feature, aimed at allowing creators to activate audio translations for their content, enabling them to reach a wider, global audience.

The development was revealed during the platform’s “Made on YouTube” event this week, where the focus was primarily on new AI innovations. YouTube confirmed that it will be expanding its auto-dubbing tool, formerly known as “Aloud”, to additional markets and languages later this year.

In a statement, YouTube said:

“In the coming months we’ll be expanding our AI powered dubbing tool, formerly known as “Aloud”, to hundreds of thousands of creators. Additionally, up until now, creators who had beta access were only able to dub English videos into Spanish and Portuguese, but coming soon we’re adding more languages, like French and Italian. Once creators have access, their videos will be automatically dubbed upon upload, with the ability to opt out if they so choose.”

The Aloud tool, initially introduced in 2022 as part of a wider Google translation experiment, integrates both text and audio translation, a process that has proven complex. This is likely why Google has taken a gradual approach to expanding the system. However, the tech giant now feels confident that it can support a broader range of translations, allowing creators to tap into new markets.

The expanded dubbing feature has the potential to enhance YouTube's global appeal, allowing creators to connect with audiences in local communities and different regions. By offering content in multiple languages, creators could unlock new audience segments, helping to grow their YouTube presence.

YouTube has confirmed that this feature will be rolled out further in the coming months.