New YouTube ad format uses Gemini AI to boost reach at peak viewer engagement
Peak Points identifies emotionally charged or high-attention moments in videos, placing ads immediately after to maximise impact without interrupting key scenes.
- May 19, 2025,
- Updated May 19, 2025 9:31 AM IST
YouTube has unveiled a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered advertising tool called Peak Points, aimed at revolutionising how ads are inserted into videos. Introduced during the company’s Brandcast event in New York, the feature uses Google’s Gemini AI to analyse content and identify the most engaging moments in a video, placing advertisements directly after those high-impact segments.
Rather than disrupting the climax of a video, such as a heartfelt proposal or a dramatic reveal, the new system is designed to insert ads immediately following these “peak” moments, when viewer attention is still at its highest. In a demo shown at the event, for instance, an ad was placed right after a person proposes to his girlfriend, allowing the emotional peak to remain uninterrupted.
The AI feature works by scanning videos frame-by-frame and examining their transcripts to pinpoint where viewer engagement is at its highest. While YouTube hasn’t confirmed whether user behaviour data (like rewinding or pausing) is also considered, the core strategy aligns with principles of emotion-based targeting — a method that places ads when viewers are emotionally invested, potentially increasing recall and impact.
For advertisers, Peak Points promises greater visibility and effectiveness by catching audiences when they are most attentive. For creators, it could offer improved monetisation by better aligning ad placement with viewer behaviour. YouTube has long experimented with various ad formats — from unskippable ads to mid-roll interruptions — but this marks a significant shift towards context-aware, AI-driven ad integration.
That said, while the feature might prevent ads from cutting into crucial parts of a video, some viewers may still find these emotionally timed interruptions jarring. The feature is currently being tested as a pilot and is expected to roll out across different regions later this year.
As YouTube continues to innovate its advertising strategies, Peak Points stands out as a data-driven solution designed to maximise ad performance without entirely sacrificing viewer experience, at least in theory.
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YouTube has unveiled a new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered advertising tool called Peak Points, aimed at revolutionising how ads are inserted into videos. Introduced during the company’s Brandcast event in New York, the feature uses Google’s Gemini AI to analyse content and identify the most engaging moments in a video, placing advertisements directly after those high-impact segments.
Rather than disrupting the climax of a video, such as a heartfelt proposal or a dramatic reveal, the new system is designed to insert ads immediately following these “peak” moments, when viewer attention is still at its highest. In a demo shown at the event, for instance, an ad was placed right after a person proposes to his girlfriend, allowing the emotional peak to remain uninterrupted.
The AI feature works by scanning videos frame-by-frame and examining their transcripts to pinpoint where viewer engagement is at its highest. While YouTube hasn’t confirmed whether user behaviour data (like rewinding or pausing) is also considered, the core strategy aligns with principles of emotion-based targeting — a method that places ads when viewers are emotionally invested, potentially increasing recall and impact.
For advertisers, Peak Points promises greater visibility and effectiveness by catching audiences when they are most attentive. For creators, it could offer improved monetisation by better aligning ad placement with viewer behaviour. YouTube has long experimented with various ad formats — from unskippable ads to mid-roll interruptions — but this marks a significant shift towards context-aware, AI-driven ad integration.
That said, while the feature might prevent ads from cutting into crucial parts of a video, some viewers may still find these emotionally timed interruptions jarring. The feature is currently being tested as a pilot and is expected to roll out across different regions later this year.
As YouTube continues to innovate its advertising strategies, Peak Points stands out as a data-driven solution designed to maximise ad performance without entirely sacrificing viewer experience, at least in theory.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine