YouTube Launches Automatic AI Upscaling for Low-Resolution Videos on TV
YouTube has announced and begun rolling out a significant update to its platform, centered on enhancing the viewing experience on large screens. The new feature, branded “Super Resolution,” utilizes advanced AI (Artificial Intelligence) upscaling to automatically boost the visual quality of low-resolution videos, ensuring they look sharper and clearer, especially on modern smart TVs.
AI Takes Center Stage in Video Enhancement
The integration of AI-powered upscaling is a strategic move by YouTube to improve the quality of its vast library of older, lower-resolution content and bridge the gap with premium streaming services.
- Initial Upscaling: The feature is initially focused on videos uploaded at resolutions below 1080p. YouTube’s AI model will automatically generate an improved version, upscaling the video from standard definition (SD) to High Definition (HD) quality. Â
- 4K Goal: The company has confirmed its ambitious goal to eventually expand this technology to support upscaling low-resolution content all the way up to 4K resolution. Â
- Super Resolution Label: Viewers will know when the AI enhancement is active, as the upscaled version will be labeled “Super Resolution” in the video quality settings menu on the YouTube TV application. Â
Focus on the Living Room Experience
This new feature is part of YouTube’s larger push to invest in the Connected TV (CTV) viewing experience, where the platform has seen a massive surge in watch time across the globe.
- Addressing Pixelation: Watching older or lower-quality content on large 4K TV screens often results in noticeable pixelation and blurriness. The AI upscaling directly addresses this pain point by inferring detail and removing noise, effectively raising the quality floor for millions of videos. Â
- Other TV Updates: The “Super Resolution” feature is being rolled out alongside other TV-focused updates, including QR code shopping integration (allowing viewers to scan codes to purchase products seen in videos) and a revamped user interface with contextual search and improved channel previews. Â
Creator and Viewer Control
Acknowledging previous concerns about AI altering content, YouTube has stressed that both creators and viewers will maintain control over the new enhancement.
- Creator Opt-Out: Creators will retain complete control over their video libraries. They have the option to opt out of the AI upscaling feature entirely, ensuring their content is displayed exactly as they intended. Â
- Original Files Preserved: YouTube assures that the original uploaded video file and resolution will remain intact. The AI-upscaled version is simply an added viewing option. Â
- Viewer Choice: Viewers will retain the ability to switch between the “Super Resolution” version and the original resolution of the video through the playback settings. Â
Our Take: The AI Paintbrush for Vintage Clips
YouTube finally decided that not all of its 240p classics need to look like they were filmed through a screen door, and the result is a genuinely transformative update for the living room experience. By implementing AI upscaling, they’ve basically given the entire 20-year-old content library a futuristic restoration. The fact that the initial launch is focused on the TV app proves they know where the quality gap is most painful. We hope the AI is smart enough not to turn nostalgic compression artifacts into creepy, smooth-skinned digital horrors. If they pull this off flawlessly, our late-night binge of early 2000s vlogs will look suspiciously sharp.
 origin: Engadget
