VLC Media Player: A Milestone and a Glimpse into the Future with AI
Breaking news in the tech world: VLC media player, the beloved open-source software developed by the nonprofit VideoLAN, has surpassed an extraordinary 6 billion downloads globally. And that’s not all—VLC is on the brink of introducing a groundbreaking AI-powered subtitle system. During their recent demonstration at CES, VideoLAN showcased this exciting feature that automatically generates real-time subtitles for any video. The best part? It operates using open-source AI models directly on users’ devices, meaning no internet connection or cloud services are necessary.
This innovation promises to translate subtitles into multiple languages, broadening accessibility for users worldwide. However, VideoLAN has yet to announce a specific timeline for when this feature will be available.
“The number of active users of VLC is actually growing, even in this age of streaming services,”
{Jean-Baptiste Kempf, President of VideoLAN}
VideoLAN’s journey began in 1996 as a project by students at Ecole Centrale Paris aiming to stream videos across their campus. Unlike many open-source endeavors that struggle to survive on donations alone, VLC has thrived while maintaining its free and ad-free model across various operating systems.
- No advertising
- No data collection
- No commercial revenue streams
Despite the dominance of streaming services today, VLC continues to grow its user base significantly. This enduring popularity can be attributed to its commitment to user privacy and its seamless, versatile functionality.
As we look forward to the rollout of their AI-powered subtitles, it’s clear that VLC’s future is as promising as its storied past—always evolving yet steadfastly committed to its core values.
