Imagine scrolling through Yelp to find your next favorite restaurant, only to be greeted by eye-catching AI-generated videos! Yes, you heard that right! Yelp is set to launch a new feature on its iOS app that uses artificial intelligence to transform written reviews into engaging video content.

Powered by cutting-edge technology from ElevenLabs and Amazon Transcribe, these AI videos synthesize text from user reviews and narrate them with a lifelike voice, all while showcasing a stunning slideshow of user-uploaded photos. This fresh approach aims to give potential diners a visual taste of what they can expect, be it scrumptious dishes or vibrant drinks.

However, here’s the catch: both reviewers and businesses have no control over the content. Companies won’t preview or approve their videos, and users can’t opt out of having their reviews showcased. This has sparked concerns about privacy and the right to represent one's own feedback.

To combat potential inaccuracies or offensive material, viewers can report misleading videos. Yelp has committed to conducting thorough audits of these clips, ensuring they stay updated as new reviews roll in.

Craig Saldanha, Yelp’s Chief Product Officer, shared with The Verge that the goal is to create numerous videos, but the content you see will be influenced by your own interactions on the platform. If there's ever a way for users to opt out of having their past reviews featured in these videos, Yelp promises to keep everyone informed.

While we await responses from Yelp about this innovative rollout, one thing is clear: the world of restaurant reviews is about to get a whole lot more dynamic!