YouTube is trying out a new way to give users more control over the videos they see in their home feed, via a feed customization option which allows you to update your algorithmic recommendations via conversation prompts.
That sounds similar to the algorithm training options being built by both X and Instagram, which use AI chat tools to give users more specific insights into their recommendations.
As explained by YouTube:
“We’re experimenting with a new feature called ‘Your Custom Feed’, which will allow you to customize recommendations for your Home feed. If you participate in the experiment, you’ll see “Your Custom Feed” as a chip next to “Home” on your homepage. When you click on it, you can update your existing Home feed recommendations by entering a simple prompt.’
YouTube says the feature is designed to give you more control over the content you suggest in an easy way.
It’s only in testing at the moment, so you probably won’t see it in your feed, but if you do it might be worth trying it out to see how well the system refines your YouTube feed based on your input.
And while it seems like YouTube is taking a different AI-based approach this time, it has tried different feed customization options before. A few years ago, YouTube asked some users to ‘Customize your feed’, via an in-app prompt that allowed you to select videos you like, which would then help inform YouTube’s algorithms.
It also gave Premium subscribers optional color-based feeds last year (for some reason), as a way to give people alternative input into their recommendations.
But this initiative is more similar to the current experiments at X, Threads and Instagramwhich will ultimately allow people to use conversation prompts to refine their feeds, by posting their questions to in-app AI bots, or by selecting custom topic elements in new, dedicated algo refinement elements.
Fine. More direct input will help address lingering concerns that algorithms dictate too much of the social media experience, while also giving users another way to ensure they see more posts from the accounts they follow, based on these tools.
When people use them, that is. I’ve noted this before, but the truth is that the vast majority of users won’t update and change their settings, they just want to log in and scroll through and see what the system has to offer. Sure, people may say they want more control, but time and time again, when given the chance, most people simply don’t bother to update their settings, even when they can.
Add to that the fact that platforms are driving more engagement through AI-powered algorithms, which show you more content similar to the content you’ve been watching or engaging with, and you can see why social apps prefer users to simply stick to their ‘For You’ feeds.
That begs the question of why they would bother adding these kinds of controls in the first place, but for one, it does give users the option, which could improve their experience, while also serving as a level of assurance that you could change it, if you wanted to.
That reduces criticism of algorithmic control, while also, for the most part, allowing platforms to maximize engagement through algorithmic means.
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