YouTube introduces AI summaries in Search

YouTube is rolling out two new artificial intelligence features aimed at changing the way users interact with video content on its platform. The company announced that it is introducing AI-generated summaries within search results, along with an expanded trial of its conversational AI assistant—tools that could significantly reshape the video discovery and viewing experience.

The most notable addition is an AI-enhanced search results carousel, which is currently available only to YouTube Premium users in the United States. When users search for topics like "best beaches in Hawaii," for example, they may now see a new section displaying a series of short video previews. These clips are accompanied by concise, AI-generated descriptions summarizing the topic or content of the videos shown.

This approach mirrors Google's own implementation of AI-generated overviews in its search engine. However, Google's earlier experiment faced criticism for factual inaccuracies—infamously suggesting users add glue to pizza dough—which has raised concerns about the reliability of AI-generated summaries more broadly. Whether YouTube’s version can avoid similar pitfalls remains to be seen.

Alongside the AI-powered search carousel, YouTube is also expanding access to its conversational AI assistant, a tool first introduced in 2023. This AI feature allows users to ask questions about the video they’re watching in real time. Until now, it was limited to a small group of Premium users, but YouTube is beginning to open it up to select non-Premium users in the US.

For those included in the expanded test, a new “Ask” button appears below the video player, near the standard like and share options. By tapping it, viewers can engage directly with the AI assistant. For example, while watching a tutorial, a user might ask for a summary, request clarification on a specific step, or even generate a quiz based on the content. The tool aims to enhance understanding and engagement, particularly for educational and informational videos.

While these features could make the viewing experience more interactive and efficient, they are not without controversy—particularly among content creators. The AI-generated search summaries raise concerns that users might consume only the summary without clicking through to the full video. This could lead to a drop in views and watch time, directly impacting creators' revenue and visibility on the platform.

YouTube acknowledges that the summaries are based on existing creator videos, but this acknowledgment may offer little reassurance. Summaries derived from someone’s content without guaranteed traffic or attribution can feel like a raw deal, especially for those who rely on YouTube as their primary income source.

The platform has not yet clarified how or whether creators will be compensated or credited for their contributions to these AI-generated summaries. Nor has it addressed whether the inclusion of their content in AI-powered features can be opted out of or controlled.

These updates reflect YouTube’s broader strategy to integrate AI more deeply into its platform, joining a wave of tech companies experimenting with chatbot-like experiences across their products. Whether these enhancements serve to enrich the user experience or create new tensions with creators will likely depend on how the tools evolve—and how transparently YouTube communicates with its community moving forward.

For now, Premium users in the US will be the first to experience these AI-driven changes firsthand, while others wait to see how widely YouTube decides to roll them out. As AI continues to reshape the digital landscape, YouTube’s experiment could set the tone for the future of content discovery and viewer engagement.