Celebrating 20 years, YouTube unveiled AI-driven tools, stressing they will aid creators not replace them as the platform surpasses Disney in U.S. media dominance.
YouTube marked its 20th anniversary on Tuesday by unveiling a sweeping vision of its future, centered on artificial intelligence, at its annual Made on YouTube product launch event.
Once a scrappy platform for amateur clips, YouTube now boasts 2.7 billion users and is America’s most popular TV service. According to Nielsen data, it captured 13.4% of U.S. viewership in July, outpacing Disney’s 9.4%, and analysts predict its 2025 revenue will surpass Disney’s $60 billion media haul.
Backed by Alphabet’s deep AI expertise, YouTube introduced over 30 new features, including automatic video editing, AI-generated podcast visuals, a speech-to-song tool, and shopping link integration. “These are tools, and really just that,” CEO Neal Mohan said. “Make no mistake: no studio, network, tech company, or AI tool will own the future of entertainment.”
YouTube also highlighted its payouts of $100 billion to creators over four years, underscoring Mohan’s message that making videos on the platform is a “viable, respectable and sustainable career path.”