YouTube Music is rolling out some fun new features, including an expansion of the “hum to search” tool that is in beta for Android users since March. The company says the tool allows users to “search YouTube Music’s catalog of over 100 million official songs” using natural sound.
All you have to do is tap “Search” and look for the waveform icon. Then it’s your turn to play. The tool lets people hum the song, sing it, or even play it on another instrument. The feature is rolling out to YouTube Music subscribers on iOS and Android.
The company is also working on something called “AI-generated conversational radio.” This isn’t a platform where AI DJs are taking over Wolfman Jack’s job or something. Instead, it’s a tool that lets people use natural conversation to describe the type of radio station they want to listen to. The algorithm will take that information and create a custom radio station. It’s kind of like Spotify’s DJ AI from a while agobut the conversational element should allow the algorithm to focus on your exact tastes as described.
The bad news? For now, the tool is only available to select subscribers, as it’s still in testing. If successful, it should roll out to more users in the coming months. After all, YouTube first announced the “hum to search” tool in March, and it’s already widely available.