YouTube is set to enhance its platform with a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature. On Thursday, the video streaming leader revealed the introduction of the Search Results Carousel, which will activate when users enter specific keywords. This new carousel will display suggested videos in an updated format along with text descriptions that provide users with additional context before they decide to view the content. Initially, this feature will be limited to YouTube Premium subscribers in the United States. Furthermore, the Google-owned platform is also extending access to its conversational AI tool to select non-Premium users.
YouTube Launches AI-Powered Video Carousel
In a blog post, YouTube detailed the new AI functionality. The company began testing the Search Results Carousel back in April with a small group of Premium users and is now rolling it out more broadly to additional Premium subscribers in the U.S.
The AI-driven feature will present a carousel for specific searches related to shopping, travel, or local activities. Upon conducting a search, users will see a redesigned results page featuring a prominent video clip at the top, accompanied by smaller thumbnails of other recommended videos. Additionally, an AI-generated summary related to the search query will be included. Users can select the large video for viewing or choose among the smaller thumbnails for additional options.
Currently, this feature is available exclusively on Android and iOS devices and is targeted at English-speaking users. According to YouTube’s experimental page, this testing phase will continue until July 30, after which the feature may be rolled out to other regions.
In tandem with the carousel launch, YouTube is broadening its conversational AI tool to include some non-Premium users in the United States. This feature is marked by a sparkle icon located beneath videos alongside the Like, Share, and Download buttons. Users will be able to pose questions about the content and even request video recommendations. Powered by the Gemini system, this chatbot first appeared in April 2024 and was initially only accessible to Premium subscribers. Currently, it is available exclusively on Android devices.
