June 27, 2025, 2:03 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
YouTube is testing new AI features that could fundamentally change the search and viewing experience on the platform. Users in the U.S. are getting first access to an AI-powered search carousel and an enhanced tool. Both features are based on technologies already used in Google Search and are designed to help find content more quickly and accurately.
Since June 26, YouTube has been testing two new AI-powered search features designed to make finding and understanding content on the video platform easier. First, the Google subsidiary is introducing an AI-based search carousel that presents relevant video clips, including summaries, in an interactive preview. Additionally, a conversational tool is being developed to answer users’ follow-up questions about videos in real time. Both features are initially available only to selected users in the U.S.
AI Search Carousel Replaces Traditional Result Lists
The video platform recently announced two innovations on its blog. The first innovation from YouTube is the AI search function. The so-called “AI Carousel” replaces the traditional listing of videos with a compact overview featuring centrally placed video clips, thematically appropriate thumbnails, and automatically generated text descriptions. Clicking on the preview also starts the video directly at the relevant point.
This feature is based on the “AI Overviews” known from Google Web Search and uses the Gemini model to extract content from video transcripts. According to developers, the goal is a “zero-click experience,” where users receive information without having to watch the entire video. However, critics fear that this approach could negatively impact video view counts.
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Access Limited to Selected Users and Topics
Currently, the AI carousel is only available through the mobile YouTube app for iOS and Android. Only randomly selected premium subscribers in the U.S. can participate. The test phase runs until July 30, 2025. The search function is currently limited to English-language content and topics in the areas of shopping, travel, and leisure activities.
It is still unclear if and when an expansion to other regions, including Germany, will occur. It is also not yet clear whether the feature will remain behind a paywall permanently.
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Conversational AI Expands to a Broader User Base
In addition to the search carousel, YouTube is testing a second AI feature: the conversational tool, originally introduced in 2023, allows users to ask questions about a video directly in the app. This way, users can obtain further information, get recommendations, or take quizzes on educational videos. The feature is also intended to be helpful for academic content.
Previously, the tool was reserved exclusively for premium members. Now it is gradually being made available to some non-premium users in the U.S. According to YouTube, it serves, among other things, to discover new content or delve into complex topics.