Written By Deepti Ratnam
Published By: Deepti Ratnam | Published: Apr 28, 2026, 08:50 AM (IST)
Youtube search gets ai upgrade: Videos shorts and answers together
Google is testing a new feature for YouTube that will change how users interact with the app. This upcoming feature will be an AI-based search experience inside the music and video streaming app. It will not just enhance users’ search for videos but will also make sure they have efficient experience in the app. Rather than typing normal keywords and getting a list of videos, users will be able to ask questions in a chat-like style. According to reports, Google will then shows videos, shorts, and text summaries based on the query. Also Read: India to train 15000 creators in AI: Collaboration with Google and YouTube
Google is testing a new AI-based search feature on YouTube. The tech giant is calling this experiment a more conversational search system that will enhance the overall browsing video experience on the platform. The feature is built with an aim to make YouTube search feel like talking to a chatbot. Also Read: Mass Youtube outage reported in Russia: Here’s what we need to know
To understand more about it, imagine you are typing a query and the system does not only show videos, but also gives a short written explanation about the topic. Sounds interesting, right? Additionally, the feature will also suggest related videos and Shorts.
Currently, the feature is only available to YouTube Premium subscribers in the United States. To maintain privacy and security, the feature can only be accessed by 18 years or older
Using this feature requires a simple guide. Let’s check it out!
Step 1: As soon as you turned on the feature by navigating inside your YouTube Premium, you will see a new ‘Ask YouTube’ button in the search bar.
Step 2: Once you click on the button, it will change the interface.
Step 3: Rather than seeing a normal search results, you can now see a chat-style page on your YouTube account.
Step 4: You will notice a text box where you can type full questions about the topic you want to search.
Step 5: YouTube will also suggests you example of prompts like simple video ideas, explanations, or historical topics.
Step 6: Once you enter a question, the page will loads for a few seconds.
Step 7: Next, it will showcase you a mixed result page with different types of content.
Step 8: The content will include short written summaries, video clips, long videos, and Shorts that are grouped into sections.
To make things more clear for you, we are listing some examples so that you understand in a better way:
Imagine you are searching for a topic like the Apollo 11 moon landing. The AI system on YouTube will first show you a short explanation of the event. It will also include key points like the landing date and other important details and moments of the event.
After that, it will start showing you related video sections such as historic recording, launch footage, and surface moments. Moreover, it will also show if Shorts and clips from different creators, if available.
At the bottom, you will see follow-up questions so that you can continue the search in a conversation style.
What’s even more interesting is that the system will also change results based on the type of questions you asked. Talking about the simple factual question, it will show a structured summaries and videos
For follow-up questions, it might show a more detailed breakdown with profiles, lists, or grids of information.
Nevertheless, the system will not handle all the queries in the same way. Some searches may show the normal results, while others might appear without AI summaries.
While the feature is useful, it is still not perfect. You should be ready for the fact that in some cases the AI system might show incorrect information. It may give wrong details about the product or a topic so before checking any information carefully cross-check and don’t fully rely on AI-generated summaries.
Google itself is testing the system, so errors can be expected during this stage.
Google is planning to make the feature available beyond Premium users. The tech giant is also working on making AI-based search more common across all its services.