Google Launches "Ask YouTube" AI Search Feature for Premium Subscribers
Google's experimental "Ask YouTube" feature allows users to pose complex queries and receive summarized text results alongside links to videos and Shorts, but early tests reveal accuracy concerns.
Availability & Eligibility
The feature is currently available to YouTube Premium subscribers in the United States who are 18 years of age or older. The test period is scheduled to run from the announcement date until June 8.
To access the feature, eligible users can enable it in their account settings, after which an "Ask YouTube" button appears in the search bar. Clicking the button opens a page with suggested prompts and a text box for entering questions. The system supports follow-up questions and aggregates results from both short-form and long-form content.
Feature Details
The "Ask YouTube" experiment allows users to pose complex queries and receive summarized text results alongside links to videos and Shorts. In tests conducted by journalists:
- A query for "short history of the Apollo 11 moon landing" returned a text summary of the mission, a timestamped video, and categorized galleries with topics such as "From Launch to Splashdown."
- Another example query provided by Google involved a request to "plan a 3-day road trip between San Francisco and Santa Barbara."
However, some queries returned only a standard list of videos, similar to regular YouTube search results.
Accuracy Concerns
Journalists testing the feature reported at least one instance of factual error. A query regarding a Steam Controller returned factually inaccurate information, stating that the device had no joysticks; the controller actually has one. Google advises users to verify information obtained through the feature.
Future Expansion
The feature is currently limited to US-based YouTube Premium subscribers aged 18 and older as part of an optional testing program. YouTube has indicated plans to expand the experiment to non-Premium users at a later date.
Related AI Integrations
Alongside the "Ask YouTube" feature, Google has incorporated its Gemini Omni AI video model into YouTube Shorts Remix and the YouTube Create app. According to the company, the model is designed to improve understanding of user intent, create more consistent storytelling, and manage complex video and audio adjustments.
Likeness Detection Tool
YouTube is expanding its likeness-detection tool to include creators aged 18 and older. The tool is designed to identify and allow the removal of AI-generated content that misrepresents a creator through deepfake technology. The tool's effectiveness in practice has not yet been independently evaluated.