The development of real-time AI subtitling is underway for VLC, the widely popular open-source media player. VideoLAN, the non-profit organization behind VLC, showcased automatic subtitle generation at CES 2025.
A video demonstrating this feature was shared on X, capturing attention as AI technology was a significant trend at the event.
One of the standout features of VLC's AI-powered subtitles is its ability to function offline, without requiring cloud services or internet connectivity. This capability allows it to provide real-time translation support for over 100 languages. Moreover, it can display translations in two languages simultaneously and save them in an SRT file.
According to a post from VideoLAN on X, the automatic subtitle generation and translation utilize local and open-source AI models, enabling the feature to work offline while supporting numerous languages. Images shared in subsequent posts depicted British comedian Ricky Gervais' Golden Globes 2020 roast with real-time subtitles in multiple languages, such as Japanese and French.
Most people are familiar with auto-generated captions on platforms like YouTube. Social media creators often use AI caption apps to embed captions in short videos, and many leading video editors offer plugins or native real-time transcription features. It makes sense to leverage similar technology in VLC.
Personally, I enjoy watching local movies, TV shows, and DVDs with subtitles. However, sometimes the file or disc may not include subtitles. VLC's built-in subtitle download tool saves users from searching malware-laden free subtitle download sites for an SRT file.
Downloading subtitle files is only possible if someone has shared or created one in the required language. If that's not the case, or if you need subtitles for custom content, you're on your own. I wonder if VLC's auto-subtitle feature utilizes OpenAI's Whisper, a leading open-source neural network for speech recognition tasks.
Regardless of the model VLC employs, it's convenient that this feature operates offline, without relying on cloud services, logins, signups, or network connections. When asked about the possibility of using a cloud service instead, VideoLAN responded that the goal is to avoid dependence on costly cloud operations.
At the time of writing, VLC has not indicated when or if a public demo of the player with AI-generated subtitles will be available for testing. However, it is suggested that this feature might be included in VLC 4.0. For now, if the MP4 movie you want to watch lacks subtitles, you'll need to find an SRT or VTT file. It's conceivable that this feature could be used for real-time unofficial AI dubs, though AI cannot act, and such a move could have broader industry implications, potentially leading to streaming services replacing dubbing casts with AI.
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