YouTube is testing an AI-powered search feature that shows guided answers
TLDR
- YouTube is testing “Ask YouTube,” an AI search feature returning step-by-step text and video results for queries like trip planning.
Key Facts
- The feature responds to questions with step-by-step results mixing text, short videos, and longer videos.
- Users can ask follow-up questions and receive contextual suggestions in the same format.
- Currently opt-in only for U.S. Premium subscribers aged 18 or older.
- Google says it is working to extend the feature to non-Premium users.
Why It Matters
- YouTube moves beyond pure video results toward guided, conversational answers for planning-type queries.
- Google is extending its AI Mode search approach from Search to YouTube, testing new surfaces for the same interaction model.
Ivan Mehta, TechCrunch · 2026-04-28 · Read the original