How to summarize videos with artificial intelligence step by step

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If you spend your day jumping from one YouTube video to another, listening to endless podcasts, or listening to very long interviews, you've probably thought more than once that Would you like to get straight to the important stuff without having to sit through 40 minutes of content?The good news is that you no longer have to watch everything: today you can summarize videos with artificial intelligence in a matter of seconds and keep only what really interests you.

Current AI tools allow analyze videos, extract key ideas, generate summaries, answer specific questions, and even create scripts, outlines, or bullet points. based on what's said on screen. And the best part is that many of these features are available for free on platforms like ChatGPT and GeminiNotebookLM or specialized applications designed only to summarize videos.

The internet is full of video content on virtually any topic, but Watching an entire video takes much longer than reading a well-structured textYou can skim a long article, but doing the same with a video is much more complicated without missing key moments or important nuances.

Furthermore, a good portion of the longer videos, such as conferences, interviews, podcasts or step-by-step tutorialsThey almost always show the same person speaking or stock footage without much visual relevance. In those cases, what really matters is the audio content: ideas, data, advice, or instructions.

Thanks to modern generative AI models, like those used by Google and OpenAI, is now possible Process text, documents, audio, images, photographs, and videos to extract the essentials in a matter of secondsYou can get general summaries, lists of headings, bullet points, or even full transcripts that you can then reuse in your notes, documents, or projects.

Once you have the video content in text format, things get even more interesting: You can ask the AI ​​itself to organize the information into tables, diagrams, or concept maps. or adapt the language to a specific audience, simplify technical terms, or translate the content into another language without complicating your life.

These types of tools are not only useful for viewing more content in less time; they are also They make it much easier to work with information professionally.: prepare meeting summaries, prepare scripts, identify key quotes, extract relevant data, or compare what is said in several videos on the same topic.

Summarize online videos directly from the URL

One of the most convenient ways to take advantage of AI is Summarize videos that are already published on online platforms such as YouTube or DailymotionIn many cases, simply pasting the video link into the AI ​​tool's chat and asking it to analyze the content is enough.

In the case of Gemini, Google's artificial intelligence, you can give it the video link and ask it to Generate a summary with the key points, or a step-by-step outline if it's a tutorial. or a list of conclusions and specific data mentioned in the recording. Gemini is especially convenient for YouTube videos because both platforms belong to Google and are quite integrated.

An example of prompt that you can use with Gemini For online videos, it would be something like: “I want you to give me a summary of the content of the video in the link. Make the summary schematic using bullet points.”The part about requesting bullet points is optional, but it's very practical if you want something visual and easy to scan.

If you prefer a different style, you can modify the request and ask for a more narrative text, a short summary to get a general idea, or a detailed breakdown geared toward a specific audience. Ultimately, The key is to be specific about what you want to achieve. so that the summary fits your actual needs.

It should be noted that Not all video platforms allow this type of access from AIWith Gemini, for example, it works well with services like YouTube or Dailymotion, but you may not be able to directly analyze videos hosted on social networks like Instagram, depending on how the content is configured or the technical limitations of the model.

Upload video files to be summarized by AI

When the video you want to analyze is not on a public platform or you prefer not to share the link, you have the option to upload the file directly to the AI ​​toolIn Gemini, for example, you can attach the video to the message by uploading it from your device or linking it from Google Drive.

In this case, you could use a prompt like this: “I would like you to give me a summary of the content of the attached video. Please make the summary schematic using bullet points.”The idea is practically the same as with online videos, but instead of the link, you add the file as an attachment.

Gemini will be in charge of analyze both the audio track and the video images and will generate a structured summary with the main ideas. This approach is ideal for internal company content, recorded classes, private webinars, or materials you don't want to upload to public platforms.

Something similar happens with ChatGPT: It also allows you to upload video files for processing.As long as you respect the size limits. Currently, videos or files you send to ChatGPT cannot exceed 512 MB, and free accounts usually have a maximum of three file uploads per day, which is something to keep in mind if you work with a lot of material.

Once you've uploaded your video to ChatGPT, you can request different types of results: a full summary, a summary focusing only on a section of the video, a literal transcript, a simplified version for a younger audience or even a translation of the content if the original language is not comfortable for you.

Additionally, if you use custom GPTs within ChatGPT, you can find templates already configured specifically for Summarize videos with optimized promptsBy searching for terms like “summarize videos” or “summarize videos” in the GPTs catalog, it is easy to find tools focused precisely on this task.

Ask specific questions about the content of a video

One of the most powerful functions of AI applied to video is not just summarizing, but allow you to ask specific questions about what is being saidInstead of asking for a generic summary, you can ask very specific questions related to the content.

For example, you can tell the AI ​​something like: “I want you to look up the information in the video I've attached, and then tell me.”In this way, the model does not respond based on what it "believes" from general internet knowledge, but rather by searching for the answer directly within the video you have provided.

This is especially useful for technical conferences, expert interviews, insightful podcasts, or training videos in which you are interested in locating a certain explanation, a specific figure, a relevant quote, or a very specific procedure.

Tools like NotebookLM take this idea a step further. NotebookLM is designed to to process and relate large amounts of information from videos, PDFs, web pages, presentations, and other documentsOnce you provide it with multiple sources, you can chat with the tool and ask complex questions that combine data from different files.

In the case of videos, NotebookLM allows Add one or more YouTube links, generate written or audio summariesand then delve deeper with additional questions without having to return to the original video. Ideal if you're researching a topic and want to extract the maximum amount of verified information.

Summarizing videos with ChatGPT: features and limitations

ChatGPT has become the most popular and versatile AI assistant, and among its capabilities is the ability to Analyze videos to extract key ideas, conclusions, or structured summariesYou can provide the content in several ways: by uploading the file, providing the video link, or pasting the transcript if the platform offers it.

When working with ChatGPT to summarize videos, it's important Be very clear and detailed when asking for what you needFor example, you can specify whether you want a complete summary of the entire video or just a specific section, whether the text should be adapted to a certain level of knowledge, whether you are looking for a more formal or more informative tone, or whether you need the result to be in another language.

Another very powerful option is to combine summarization with other transformations: you can ask it to Create a script from the video content, turning it into a list of steps for a tutorial.or that reorganizes the information into thematic blocks that are easy to review later.

In addition to the standard function, ChatGPT offers the ecosystem of Custom GPTsThese are AI “profiles” trained to solve specific tasks. Among them, several are designed specifically for summarize videos from YouTube or other platforms, with pre-configured prompts and settings appropriate to the type of audiovisual content.

Simply go to the custom GPTs section, search for keywords like “summarize videos,” and you’ll find various options with more academic, marketing-oriented, or technical approaches, etc. Choosing the right GPT can to save you time when writing elaborate prompts and directly obtain the type of summary you need.

Of course, it is worth remembering that ChatGPT free accounts have upload and file size limitsSo if you work with a lot of long videos, you might want to consider a paid subscription or combining ChatGPT with other video-specific tools.

Summarize YouTube videos with Gemini

If your main focus is YouTube videos, it makes perfect sense to use Gemini, Google's AI, which integrates especially well with the video platformGoogle has been using artificial intelligence on YouTube for some time now with automatic subtitles, resolution improvements and other features, and that same technology is being used for content analysis.

Gemini can work directly from a video link. As the AI ​​itself explains, if you give it a URL, it can Analyze the content, extract key messages, and generate a step-by-step summary for tutorials. or list specific conclusions and data that appear in the recording. Gemini is especially convenient for YouTube videos because both platforms belong to Google and are quite integrated. If you're concerned about privacy, you can Configure Gemini's security and privacy settings in Chrome.

Another option is to use the video transcript when it's available on YouTube. More and more creators are enabling this feature, so you can Copy and paste the transcript into the Gemini chat to process it as if it were a text documentFrom there, you can ask for a short summary, a more detailed one, or even to reorganize the information into a guide, outline, or list of key concepts.

The main advantage of this approach is that, since it is a Google product itself, Gemini is usually adept at handling YouTube metadata and internal structuresThis facilitates a more accurate analysis of the content and relevant parts of the video.

By combining several functions (video analysis, use of the transcript, and specific questions about particular segments), you can turn Gemini into a kind of A personal assistant to "read" YouTube for you and deliver only what's important.whether it's for studying, learning something new, or keeping up to date in a professional sector.

NotebookLM: a complete environment for learning from videos

NotebookLM is a Google project designed to help Understanding complex topics by combining videos, documents, and other formats in the same space. Although it can be used for many things, one of its star features is precisely working in depth with YouTube videos.

This tool allows you to add sources of information. Videos, PDFs, presentations, web pages, and Google DocsWith all that material, NotebookLM generates global summaries, content sheets, section explanations, and even audio versions of the most important points—very useful for reviewing while doing something else.

Once you have uploaded one or more videos, you can chat with NotebookLM in a chat similar to that of other AIsThat's where you can ask specific questions about what's being said, request comparisons between different videos, ask for additional examples, or ask for a difficult concept to be explained in other words.

NotebookLM has a free mode and a paid mode, but for the task of To summarize videos and extract essential information, the free plan is usually more than enough.The interesting thing is that the tool is not limited to a simple summary, but helps you shape that knowledge so you can apply it: from creating article outlines to proposing possible structures for a presentation.

If you're preparing a paper, researching a topic for your business, or simply want to delve deeper into an area without wasting hours jumping through video timelines, NotebookLM can become your central control panel for managing large amounts of audiovisual content.

Specialized apps for summarizing videos with AI

Although general assistants like ChatGPT or Gemini are very powerful, sometimes it's worth going to specialized applications designed solely for summarizing videosThese tools usually have a simpler interface, with clear buttons to paste a link and choose the type of summary you want.

One of the most interesting is Recall (getrecall.ai)It is a browser extension that allows summarize videos, chat with their content, and take notes while watching the recordingIt works even when the video doesn't have a transcript available, and saves all the information in a personal knowledge base so you can search later through everything you've watched.

Recall isn't limited to video: it can also work with podcasts, PDFs and articlesThis is very useful if your content consumption isn't limited to YouTube, but you combine different formats and want to have them all centralized in a single system to ask questions.

Another well-known tool is Eightify, a YouTube abridger that Generates quick summaries with timestamps directly on the platform itself. When the video has a transcript, Eightify delivers particularly strong results, organizing the ideas into clear sections so you can jump to the exact minute you're interested in.

You can also find options like TubeOnAI, a cross-platform web application that focuses on offering brief summaries and notifications of new content of the channels you follow. It doesn't have as many advanced features as other alternatives, but it works very well if you simply want to keep up with certain creators without watching all their videos in full.

Most of these applications use Google's APIs, OpenAI, or other AI models to perform video analysis. Their strength lies in the fact that they are designed so that you only have to Paste a link, choose the output type (summary, list of ideas, timestamps) and let the tool do the rest. Then you can export that content and work with it in other programs.

Although there is still no perfect solution that does absolutely everything for everyone, the combination of these specialized applications with general assistants like ChatGPT or Gemini It offers a powerful range of tools for summarizing long lectures, podcasts, interviews, or tutorials without wasting time..

How to leverage these summaries if you're a content creator or professional

Content creators, journalists, and media professionals can greatly benefit from these tools. Video condenser converts raw footage, lengthy interviews, podcasts, and vlogs into condensed and structured versions which are much easier to review.

When working with summaries, creators can detect highlights, identify key quotes, organize ideas and turn them into scripts for new videos, articles or newsletters without having to rewatch all the original material. This drastically reduces production time.

Some users have commented that by integrating these types of tools into their daily lives, They have multiplied their productivity by processing video contentSome use an application like Recall to turn everything they see into a searchable knowledge base, while others prefer to rely on ChatGPT or Gemini to transform summaries into texts ready for publication.

Beyond content creation, it's also very practical if you work in fields such as training, consulting, research or marketingIn a workplace where you constantly need to stay on top of conferences, webinars, product launches, or industry interviews, having clear summaries allows you to absorb more information in less time.

Once you've extracted the important information from the videos, you can go a step further and ask the AI ​​to Generate charts, comparison charts, pros and cons lists, or visual diagrams that help you present that data to clients, students, or internal teams within your organization.

And if you also want to stay informed about new technologies and tools like these on a continuous basis, it's always a good idea. Subscribe to specialized newsletters focused on innovation and digital transformation

All these possibilities make summarizing videos with artificial intelligence a smart way to save time, better organize information, and get much more out of all audiovisual content that you consume, whether you do it for work or purely for personal interest.