YouTube Music extension coming to Google Gemini — how it works

Google is going all-in on AI in everything from hardware like the Pixel series of phones and the company’s ubiquitous search bar with their Gemini tool. And now, after some workarounds, it looks like YouTube Music might be added to that list. 

Android Authority discovered a way to activate a Gemini Extension for YouTube Music in the Gemini app. 

The AI-powered chatbot is Google’s attempt to compete with ChatGPT. Google could easily do so by integrating Gemini into its services, which the company is well on the way to doing with everything it owns.

Like Chrome browser extensions, Google Gemini utilizes Extenstion to access information from Google apps like Maps. Recently, Maps started using AI to help EV drivers find chargers, including those that are hard to find.

According to Android Authority’s contributor, Assemble Debug, the YouTube Music extension utilizes the AI tool to improve search and discovery. Based on screenshots, Gemini will use user data like history, preferences and playlists to find songs or create a radio station.

While not currently listed, the YouTube Music extension will live under the “Extension” page in the Gemini app. With the extension enabled, search results now bring up YouTube Music results. Tapping on those results launches YouTube Music. If, for some reason, YouTube Music isn’t installed, Gemini plays the music from a web version of YouTube.

Apparently, the YouTube Music extension is different from the Music Provider feature, which lets users set a default app for playing music. The extension only refines someone’s search with information from YouTube Music.

The primary YouTube app has been playing with AI tools for a while. A “Jump Ahead” feature is supposed to come to Premium users in the next month or so. Our AI expert played with Google’s attempt to bring order to the chaos of YouTube comments back in November.

Of course, not every integration with YouTube Music is excellent. With Google moving podcasts over to YouTube Music being the biggest of the recent misses, RIP Google Podcasts, you will be missed.

The Gemini extension seems simple and easy to use to expand your library on YouTube Music.

The report says that the extension looks to be pretty finished. We haven’t heard any updates from Google about the new extension or updates to Gemini. Perhaps all will be revealed during Google’s I/O event on May 14.

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