Google is experimenting with a new AI-driven search experience for YouTube, designed to make finding videos feel more like a natural conversation. The feature, called 'Ask YouTube,' is currently rolling out to YouTube Premium subscribers in the US who are 18 or older.
When enabled, users see an 'Ask YouTube' button in the search bar, along with suggested prompts such as 'funny baby elephant playing clips' or 'summary of the rules of volleyball.' Results include a mix of longform videos, YouTube Shorts, and text summaries related to the query, resembling Google's AI Mode on its main search engine.
The test aims to enhance how users discover content on the platform, offering more contextual and conversational responses instead of a traditional list of results. It's part of Google's broader push to integrate generative AI across its products.