VLC Media Player is introducing a new AI-powered automatic subtitle generation system, announced at CES 2025 during a live demonstration by VideoLAN, the platform’s developer.
In a demonstration shared on the social platform X, Jean-Baptiste Kempf, VideoLAN’s president, showcased the feature by generating real-time subtitles for a video of the Golden Globes awards. The system not only produced accurate subtitles but also translated them into the user’s preferred language.
A standout feature is that the subtitles are generated locally on the user’s device using an open-source AI model. This ensures the system operates without relying on cloud servers or third-party services, prioritizing user privacy and eliminating the need for an internet connection.
VideoLAN’s head of marketing, Natacha Holtzhausser, stated that additional details about the feature’s functionality and deployment would be shared in the near future. This development aligns with VLC’s ongoing commitment to enhancing accessibility and user experience in media playback.
VLC automatic subtitles generation and translation based on local and open source AI models running on your machine working offline, and supporting numerous languages!
Demo can be found on our #CES2025 booth in Eureka Park. pic.twitter.com/UVmgT6K4ds— VideoLAN (@videolan) January 8, 2025
More than 6 billion downloads
During CES 2025, VideoLAN also announced a major milestone for VLC Media Player, now surpassing 6 billion downloads worldwide.
“It’s really growing, even in the age of streaming services,” remarked Jean-Baptiste Kempf, VideoLAN’s president, in a post on LinkedIn. This achievement underscores VLC’s enduring popularity and relevance, even as streaming platforms dominate the media landscape.
The milestone highlights VLC’s widespread adoption, thanks to its open-source nature, versatility, and constant updates, such as the newly announced AI-powered automatic subtitles feature.
