Published
Jun 21, 2024
Updated
Jun 21, 2024

Unlocking Video Libraries with AI-Powered Search

Towards Retrieval Augmented Generation over Large Video Libraries
By
Yannis Tevissen|Khalil Guetari|Frédéric Petitpont

Summary

Imagine effortlessly searching through massive video archives, pinpointing exact moments with simple text prompts. Researchers are making this a reality with Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) for video. Previously, finding specific clips in vast libraries was a daunting task, relying on manual searches or complex keyword queries. Now, large language models (LLMs) are being used to intelligently search video content indexed by spoken words, visual descriptions, and other metadata. This new approach allows users to ask conversational questions like, "Show me moments of astronauts training underwater," or "Find footage of mission control during the Apollo 11 landing." The system translates these requests into targeted search queries, retrieves relevant video snippets, and even suggests potential video edits based on the retrieved footage. This technology has the potential to revolutionize how we interact with video libraries. Content creators, journalists, and researchers can quickly locate specific moments within hours of footage, saving valuable time and resources. While the technology is still under development, early results are promising. Experiments on a large NASA video archive demonstrate the system's ability to quickly and accurately pinpoint relevant clips. The system works by first splitting videos into short segments, then indexing each segment with rich metadata. When a user asks a question, the LLM generates multiple search queries, retrieves the best matching segments, and presents them to the user with precise timestamps. This eliminates the need for users to sift through hours of footage manually. However, like many AI systems, this approach faces challenges. Ensuring the accuracy of generated metadata is crucial, as the system relies heavily on this information. Also, the potential for 'hallucinations,' where the LLM generates incorrect or irrelevant information, remains an area of ongoing research. Furthermore, establishing standard benchmarks for evaluating these systems is essential for future development. The next steps involve creating comprehensive datasets for testing and developing more sophisticated ranking algorithms to ensure the most relevant video segments are always retrieved. This innovative approach to video search promises to transform how we explore and utilize vast video archives, opening up new creative workflows and AI-assisted content creation possibilities.
🍰 Interesting in building your own agents?
PromptLayer provides the tools to manage and monitor prompts with your whole team. Get started for free.

Question & Answers

How does the RAG-based video search system process and index video content for searching?
The system employs a multi-step process to make videos searchable. First, it splits videos into shorter segments for granular indexing. Each segment is then enriched with metadata from multiple sources: spoken word transcription, visual content descriptions, and any existing metadata. When a user submits a query, the LLM generates multiple search queries to match against this indexed metadata. The system retrieves relevant segments based on these matches and presents them with precise timestamps. For example, if searching NASA footage, the system could identify specific mission control moments by matching both visual cues (control room setup) and spoken dialogue (mission communications).
What are the main benefits of AI-powered video search for content creators?
AI-powered video search dramatically streamlines content creation workflows by eliminating manual searching through footage. Content creators can quickly locate specific moments using natural language queries, saving hours of time typically spent scrubbing through videos. This technology enables more efficient content production, whether creating documentaries, news segments, or social media content. For instance, a documentary filmmaker could instantly find all clips mentioning a specific topic across hundreds of hours of interviews, or a news producer could quickly compile relevant footage for breaking stories. The system's ability to understand context and natural language makes it accessible to creators without technical expertise.
How is AI changing the way we interact with video libraries?
AI is transforming video library interaction by making vast archives searchable through natural language queries. Instead of relying on basic keyword searches or manual scanning, users can now have conversational interactions with their video collections. This advancement makes video content more accessible and useful across industries - from media companies searching archives to educational institutions organizing lecture content. The technology enables quick discovery of specific moments, themes, or subjects within large video collections, opening up new possibilities for content discovery and repurposing. For example, educators can easily find relevant video clips for lessons, while researchers can quickly compile video evidence for studies.

PromptLayer Features

  1. Workflow Management
  2. The multi-step video processing pipeline (chunking, metadata extraction, query processing) aligns with PromptLayer's workflow orchestration capabilities
Implementation Details
Create template workflows for video processing steps, metadata extraction, and query handling with version tracking for each stage
Key Benefits
• Reproducible video processing pipelines • Trackable metadata generation steps • Versioned prompt templates for query processing
Potential Improvements
• Add specialized video chunk testing capabilities • Implement metadata quality validation steps • Create visual workflow representations
Business Value
Efficiency Gains
30-40% reduction in pipeline development time
Cost Savings
Reduced computing costs through optimized workflows
Quality Improvement
Better consistency in video processing results
  1. Testing & Evaluation
  2. The paper's emphasis on metadata accuracy and LLM hallucination prevention requires robust testing capabilities
Implementation Details
Set up batch tests for metadata extraction accuracy and query result relevance using known video datasets
Key Benefits
• Systematic evaluation of search accuracy • Early detection of hallucination issues • Quantifiable performance metrics
Potential Improvements
• Add video-specific testing metrics • Implement automated regression testing • Create specialized evaluation datasets
Business Value
Efficiency Gains
50% faster issue detection and resolution
Cost Savings
Reduced manual QA effort and error correction costs
Quality Improvement
Higher accuracy in video search results

The first platform built for prompt engineering