The news: YouTube launched an AI search function that could streamline the content discovery journey but pose problems for smaller creators and influencers.

• The feature gives users a carousel of relevant videos in response to their search queries, similar to Google’s AI Overviews.
• AI search, which started testing in April, is available to Premium subscribers who opt in.

YouTube is also expanding access to a conversational chatbot AI tool to some non-Premium users. It launched in late 2023 for Premium users.

A crucial step: YouTube’s role as a content discovery engine means streamlined search could be in high demand and make this AI feature a valuable avenue for paid influencer marketing.

• Nearly three-quarters (71%) of US Gen Zers find new media content on YouTube, per Toluna, compared with 72% on social platforms like TikTok and Instagram and 60% via streaming playlists.
• In 2025, 50.2% of US marketers will use YouTube for influencer marketing, per our forecast. While that’s still behind 84.5% for Instagram and 61.2% for TikTok, YouTube is gaining ground.

Zooming out: YouTube isn’t the only platform investing in AI search to improve the content discovery journey.

• In April, Netflix started testing an OpenAI-powered feature that lets users search for shows based on hyper-specific terms, such as their current mood.
• Browsers like Opera and DuckDuckGo are following Google’s lead with AI search modes to make content discovery more productive.

A challenge for smaller creators: While AI search could enhance the user experience, it could also limit video exposure by narrowing what users see and click on.

• If users rely on AI search results and scroll less, smaller channels could struggle to get views, which could make it harder to get brand partnerships and ad revenues.
• The presence of an AI Overview in Google search results is linked to a 34.5% lower average clickthrough rate (CTR), per Ahrefs.

Our take: With YouTube’s vast content library, AI search could help users find relevant content faster. However, opacity around how its algorithm surfaces videos means creators may need to experiment with keywords and video titles to see which strategies get their content placed in AI video carousels.

To avoid alienating smaller creators, YouTube’s algorithm should include signals beyond popularity—such as content freshness or niche relevance—to avoid creating a feedback loop that only favors established creators.