Yelp, the restaurant rating hub, is now using AI videos for summarizing restaurant reviews. However, you may want be careful about what you post.
Tyler Lacoma Editor / Home Security
For more than 10 years Tyler has used his experience in smart home tech to craft how-to guides, explainers, and recommendations for technology of all kinds. From using his home in beautiful Bend, OR as a testing zone for the latest security products to digging into the nuts and bolts of the best data privacy guidelines, Tyler has experience in all aspects of protecting your home and belongings. With a BA in Writing from George Fox and certification in Technical Writing from Oregon State University, he’s ready to get you the details you need to make the best decisions for your home. On off hours, you can find Tyler exploring the Cascade trails, finding the latest brew in town with some friends, or trying a new recipe in the kitchen!
Expertise Smart home | Smart security | Home tech | Energy savings | A/V
When you visit Yelp via your phone next to read reviews of the newest restaurant, you might be greeted with an AI-generated clip. Yelp has begun rolling out artificial-intelligence videos on the home page feed of its iOS app.
These AI videos use ElevenLabs’ large language models to convert text from reviews of an establishment into an AI-voiced narrator and captions. Yelp then uses photos uploaded by users to create a slideshow of what you can drink, eat or dance to.
In terms of the oversight of these AI-generated videos, neither businesses nor reviewers appear to have a say. Companies cannot see the AI videos or give input before they are created, and users cannot refuse to have their reviews used. This raises privacy concerns.
Viewers will be able to report videos as inaccurate or offensive. Yelp said it would conduct a broad audit of the videos. These will be updated periodically for establishments, as more reviews and pictures are received. Craig Saldanha, Yelp’s CPO, told The Verge (19459029) that the company wants as many videos to be created as possible. However, your activity on Yelp determines whether or not you see them. We’ll let you know if we find a way to prevent your old reviews from being used in the videos.
Yelp did not immediately respond to an inquiry for comment.
