Google Photos uses AI to find the best moments in your videos

Google Photos is introducing a new “Key Moments” feature that uses AI to automatically identify and highlight the most engaging sections of user videos. The tool addresses a common problem with video sharing—lengthy recordings filled with uninteresting content—by allowing users to quickly find and extract compelling clips with a single tap.

How it works: Key Moments analyzes videos that are at least ten seconds long, using AI to detect joyful, nostalgic, or visually rich segments.
• The feature displays interactive “chips” on the video timeline that users can tap to save highlighted moments as separate clips or remove unwanted markers.
• Google’s examples show Key Moments typically capturing segments of about five seconds in length.
• Users can jump directly to these highlighted sections without scrubbing through entire videos.

The rollout timeline: Android users will gain access first, with broader availability planned for September 2024.
• iOS support is confirmed but will arrive later, with Google stating that Apple users “will have to wait a little longer.”
• Some Android users are already testing the feature in early access.

Why this matters: The feature demonstrates Google Photos’ increasing reliance on AI to automate tedious tasks that would otherwise require manual video editing skills.
• Most user-generated videos contain significant amounts of “filler” content, making longer recordings less likely to be rewatched or shared.
• The technology represents a significant advancement—detecting moments of nostalgia or visual interest in videos would have been impossible just a few years ago.

Competitive context: While similar features exist in specialized apps like GoPro Quick, Key Moments stands out for requiring virtually no user effort or expertise.
• The concept echoes Google’s discontinued Clips smart camera, which attempted to automatically record interesting moments but failed to gain market traction.
• Google positions this as part of a broader trend where AI-powered content curation will become increasingly commonplace and expected in consumer applications.