YouTube is testing an AI selection of video clips right in search results

YouTube has begun experimenting with a new feature in which artificial intelligence will highlight snippets of video potentially most useful to a user’s query. This innovation could change the way content is consumed on the platform – and affect creators.

It’s a new feature that could change the way users consume content on the platform.

When searching YouTube, users can now see a selection of video snippets automatically selected by the AI. The new feature works like a sort of video carousel, where the most informative parts of a video are cut out of the clips – and all of it is shown right in the search results, without having to open the video.

How YouTube’s AI carousel works

The feature is only available to a limited number of YouTube Premium subscribers for now, and only for English-language search queries. AI matching is activated when you search for information about products, places, and activities in specific locations. Examples include “best noise-canceling headphones” or “museums in San Francisco.”

The AI-powered selection is activated when you search for products, places, and things to do in specific locations.

The idea is similar to Google Search’s AI Overviews feature, but YouTube has its own approach: instead of retelling videos, the AI cuts out specific parts of them that the algorithm thinks contain the most useful information. These clips are shown as a horizontal carousel right below the search bar.

What this means for users and authors

On the user side, it looks like simplified access to the information you need – now you might not even have to open a video to get an answer. That’s handy, especially when looking for specific facts or product comparisons.

What it means for users and authors is that it’s easier to access the information they need.

But for authors, it could mean a dramatic change in the way they approach content creation. It’s not yet known whether it’s duration, intonation, keywords, or visual elements that will determine the “usefulness” of a piece. If the feature becomes widespread, it will be another factor to consider when optimizing video.

The impact on engagement is still a question

Although YouTube doesn’t disclose whether the new system will affect overall video views, Google’s practice shows that the use of AI in search can reduce traffic to sites, because some of the information a user gets without clicking on links. YouTube could have a similar effect, with people seeing answers directly in search and clicking less on the videos themselves.