YouTube is testing a new AI-powered search feature called “Ask YouTube” that delivers step-by-step answers combining text, short videos, and longer videos in response to user queries. The feature began rolling out in 2026 and is currently available on an opt-in basis to YouTube Premium subscribers in the United States who are 18 or older.
Rather than returning a standard list of video results, Ask YouTube responds to conversational queries with structured, multi-format answers. For example, a user asking “plan a 3-day road trip from San Francisco to Santa Barbara” would receive a step-by-step breakdown that mixes written content with relevant video clips, including titles and channel details to help surface new creators. Users can also ask follow-up questions — such as “Where can I get good coffee?” — and receive results in the same format.
Google, which owns YouTube, said it is working to make the feature available to non-Premium users as well. Interested Premium subscribers can opt into the experiment through a dedicated URL provided by the company.
The launch fits into Google’s broader push to expand AI-assisted search across its platforms. The company introduced AI mode last year, enabling multi-part questions and follow-ups, and has since added side-by-side web browsing, product price exploration, and a Gemini Canvas feature for managing projects within AI mode.
The YouTube test could open additional possibilities for the platform. Google noted that the feature may eventually be used to surface different kinds of videos alongside sponsored placements, which could have implications for how advertising is integrated into AI-driven search results on the platform.
Source: TechCrunch