Microsoft Edge to introduce AI‑powered real-time video translation
12:32 PM EDT, March 13, 2024
A report by LifeHacker, quoting a post from user Leopeva64 on X, shed light on this upcoming functionality in the Microsoft Edge browser. The feature, in the works since last October in Canary releases, had begun with an initial, non-functional, translation button. Presently, it encompasses the generation of translated audio and subtitles for videos via artificial intelligence through Copilot.
While the new Edge feature isn't live yet, its interface appears ready for the imminent activation of the "underlying logic." It's expected that the artificial intelligence will complete translations "in a few seconds." Users will have the flexibility to choose both the source and target languages, and decide if they want subtitles, a voice synthesizer, or both.
Despite Microsoft's caution that the translations might not always hit the mark of perfection, there's undeniable value in this feature for accessing content in unfamiliar languages. This real-time video translation, including audio, could greatly benefit individuals who prefer listening over reading subtitles, similar to an existing feature on YouTube.