YouTube Launches AI Search and Creator Tools

YouTube emphasizes conversational search and personalized feeds while promising to preserve watch time. The platform also announces features for creators, from serialized formats to thumbnail testing, and is preparing for automatic live dubbing.

A Court Ruling Targets Google, YouTube Responds and Promises on Watch Time

A landmark court ruling concluded that Meta and Google designed their sites to be intentionally addictive for minors, with effects on mental health. YouTube contested this claim, defining itself as a streaming platform rather than a social network. Researchers and child protection advocates have also expressed concerns about the addition of AI features on social media, while a survey conducted in 2025 documented the misbehavior of AI chatbots on Instagram with children. In terms of usage, YouTube claims it wants to connect viewers more quickly to the right video and hopes that watch time will remain stable or increase with Ask YouTube. The company argues that other AI features, such as chapters and generated summaries, have not reduced watch time and may have helped retain audiences. In the responses generated by AI search, the video title and channel name will be prominently displayed.

Ask YouTube Expands Its Search and Creates Comparison Tables

Ask YouTube, an AI-powered search experience, is expanding its capabilities. When querying a product, the tool can aggregate information from videos and external sources, then generate comparison tables. From a featured video, the user can continue their questions directly on the viewing page. The operating method is similar to that of a chatbot relying on the web to compile and cite, but this approach carries an estimated risk: reducing the need to click on video links and consume the original content.

Thematic Feeds Created in Natural Language Arrive in the United States

YouTube is preparing recommendation feeds built through natural language exchanges, similar to a conversational agent. Users will be able to define multiple feeds around specific themes, such as photography or college football. Each feed will have its dedicated tab on the homepage. This service is set to launch next month in the United States, on desktop, TV, and mobile.

YouTube Activates Gemini and Announces New Tools and Monetization

YouTube's evolution towards AI is part of a momentum driven by Google for several years. The platform uses Gemini models and emphasizes personalization for both audiences and creators, while adding Gemini as an assistant for Shorts and the YouTube Create app. On the creation side, an episodic format called Shorts series is announced: it will allow for the indication of seasons and episodes, with a playlist presentation on the creator's page. Initial access will be reserved for members of the partner program, on the web, mobile, and TV. Creators will also be able to experiment with multiple thumbnails and preview clips from the same video; the algorithm will show these variants to real viewers and associate each with the version deemed most likely to attract clicks. For live broadcasting, automatic dubbing is planned, initially in English and Spanish, with an extension to other languages considered later. Finally, YouTube announces an affiliate partnership with Amazon to expand monetization opportunities. Meanwhile, the use of AI by some creators is associated with an increase in low-quality content.