Computer users have plenty of options when it comes to using a media player. All operating systems include one by default, but some users prefer to download a third-party app.
These may offer better functionality, privacy, or other features.
VLC is a household name when it comes to media players. The cross-platform open source tool has been a favorite choice for millions of computer users.
This week, VideoLAN, the organization behind VLC Media Player, announced that downloads have crossed the six billion milestone. That is a lot of downloads for a player that is available for free and without the baking of a major corpo.
Local AI functionality coming to VLC
VideoLan announced a new feature that is coming to VLC Media Player in the future:
VLC automatic subtitles generation and translation based on local and open source AI models running on your machine working offline, and supporting numerous languages!
The new feature is demoed at CES 2025 and short videos have been posted to the official X account. Videos show AI-powered translations of content to German, Hebrew, French, and Japanese.
VideoLan promises that the implementation is privacy-friendly. It will run locally on user devices and use open source models next to that. This means that the feature is available offline as well.
VideoLan did not say when the feature is going to become available to VLC users.
Do you use media players? If so, which is your favorite and why? Feel free to leave a comment down below.
Hopefully, it will never come. I do not want AI in my video player. Will gave to switch to something else.
I changed my opinion. If VLC makes two versions of the player: one with AI and the other without, it will be a great option. Another great option: make AI activation opt in choice.
I also see that there are some very practical usage for VLC AI: subtitling anime and K-dramas. If VLC can get it somewhat on par with human translation, it will be the default choice for young people. It will bring a huge youth audience to VLC player, who’s demo I think is somewhat older.
To conclude. If done correctly and with an option to opt-in/opt-out, this is one of the best ways to use AI I can think of.
Yes, I use VLC; I don’t think anything else works across the broad spectrum of media files I may be wanting to watch. VLC has a neat “record a scene” from the movie/show one is watching. That could be an article/tutorial.
It took me a fews tries because I could never see a light [or something] indicating that I was recording. And it saved in odd places.
I usually forget how I did whatever I did at some long ago time in the past, so I go through the learning process again. Maybe I should jot down my own tutorial.
I’ve been using VLC since it came out.
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I’m saddened to hear they are going to pollute it with AI 🙁
I have different players on the PC, but mostly use Media Player Classic.
I sometimes use VLC for one or the other function not available in others.
This will likely be the case with their IA.
I updated VLC to 3.0.19 and then to 3.0.20 where section INTERNET – Icecast Radio _ Direct offers a very large choice of music.
Yesterday I again updated to the latest 3.0.21 per https://www.videolan.org/vlc . It seems Videolan cares a lot about VLC quality on multiple platforms.