How YouTube is navigating an AI tightrope
The company is trying a new way of using AI to give users better search results.
In June 2025, YouTube launched an AI-powered search feature called Ask YouTube, designed to enhance the search experience without disintermediating viewers' relationships with creators or their content. This move was met with controversy when a similar experiment launched last summer, as it pushed creators into the background and put their knowledge front and center.
Emily Moxley, YouTube's vice president of product management, stated that viewers prefer to hear from creators and that the information provided by creators cannot be replaced. After feedback, YouTube decided to revert to a more creator-focused approach with Ask YouTube. The new feature allows users to ask complex questions and provides direct answers through specific video clips, preserving the creator's role.
According to Sandie Gong, the product lead for Ask YouTube, users are now asking more detailed, learning, and how-to queries, such as fixing a specific garage door opener or finding a seat view in the Las Vegas sphere. The feature also helps bridge the gap between AI and human-generated content, as AI-generated videos receive no special treatment in search results.
For creators, Ask YouTube views count toward monetization, and there is a growing cottage industry of "Ask YouTube SEO" guides. While there are concerns that AI could replace human content creators, YouTube's experiments suggest that AI will primarily make creator content more valuable and complement human-made videos rather than replace them.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
