Google is completely overhauling its search experience, extending these changes to YouTube. YouTube’s search bar is now enhanced with AI features like “Ask YouTube,” aimed at offering a more advanced search experience. With this feature, users can make complex queries such as finding tips on teaching a child to ride a bike or seeking creator reviews of cozy games for bedtime. Users can also ask follow-up questions to refine their search.
YouTube will provide both Shorts and long-form videos and generate a response. This feature is available to Premium subscribers in the U.S. on desktop, accessible through YouTube’s optional Premium offerings to test new tools.
Additionally, Google is integrating its new AI video model, Gemini Omni, into YouTube Shorts Remix and the YouTube Create app. YouTube stated in a press release that Omni offers a new way for users to build collaboratively, enhancing storytelling and managing complex video and audio edits.
Companies like Meta and OpenAI have experienced mixed responses regarding AI use in Shorts. OpenAI even shut down its social app Sora for AI-generated clips, but YouTube’s approach is more subtle.
YouTube is also rolling out its likeness-detection tool to creators 18 and over to help prevent misrepresentation in AI content. Creators can request the removal of videos where they are misrepresented. As this feature expands, its effectiveness will be observed.