Yahoo! News Launches 'Yahoo! Comment Summary' Using Generative AI to Analyze and Organize Comment Threads

LINE Yahoo Corporation (hereinafter, LINE Yahoo) begins rolling out today an enhanced generative AI-powered feature called 'Yahoo! Comment Summary' (hereinafter, this feature) on 'Yahoo! News Comments' (hereinafter, Yahoo! Comments), a service provided by Japan's largest internet news distribution platform, Yahoo! News. This enhancement expands upon the generative AI comment summarization function that has been available since 2023. (Note 1, Note 2)

This feature uses generative AI to visualize and organize the key points raised in user-submitted comments through graphs and other visual tools. For news topics that spark divided opinions, it enables users to instantly grasp the main arguments and sentiment trends within the comment section. Additionally, users can now explore specific opinions and topics in greater depth through conversations with Agent i, an AI agent developed by LINE Yahoo.

Note 1: Yahoo! News began testing a feature that summarizes comment sections using generative AI.

Note 2: This feature is available on smartphone browsers and the 'Yahoo! JAPAN' app.

Since 2007, Yahoo! News has offered Yahoo! Comments to encourage users to share diverse opinions and gain new perspectives on news stories. With this new feature, generative AI is used to categorize comment threads, present them in graphical form, and provide summaries by sentiment trend, making it easier than ever for users to understand the range of opinions expressed in the comments.

Moreover, through a chat interface that enables interaction with Agent i, users can now dive deeper into topics or opinions of interest. By tapping 'View Detailed Analysis' in the comments section of an article supported by this feature, a free-text input field for Agent i appears at the bottom of the screen, allowing users to ask questions about specific opinions or arguments. This functionality helps users deepen their understanding of diverse viewpoints on news topics and broadens opportunities to engage with different perspectives.

This feature was introduced to help users efficiently grasp the overall sentiment and discussion landscape of comment sections, even when time is limited.

The feature is available on articles that have received a certain minimum number of comments. The AI analysis focuses on comments ranked at the top under the 'Recommended' sorting order in the comment section. Going forward, LINE Yahoo will continue improving the feature based on user feedback and usage patterns, and will gradually expand availability, including support for PC browsers.

Note: As this feature is rolled out gradually, it may not be visible on all devices.

Note: This feature is available on the Yahoo! News smartphone browser version and the Yahoo! JAPAN app. It is currently not available on PC browsers or the Yahoo! News app.

Note: Some articles may not be eligible for this feature.

Note: Specifications of this feature are subject to change.

Note: This feature may become unavailable without prior notice.

Note: The LINE Yahoo Terms of Use (https://www.lycorp.co.jp/ja/company/terms/) apply. LINE Yahoo does not guarantee the reliability, accuracy, completeness, validity, or other aspects of results generated by AI.

Note: This feature uses OpenAI's API.

Moving forward, Yahoo! News will continue its efforts to provide users with opportunities to engage with diverse opinions and develop multifaceted perspectives on news, while fostering a healthy public discourse environment.

Reference Article

newsHACK: 'Understanding the new feature “Yahoo! Comment Summary” that uses generative AI to organize and visualize comment threads'

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/newshack/information/news_comment_20260629.html