At its annual Made on YouTube event this week, YouTube unveiled a wide array of new updates, features, and tools designed for creators. These announcements included significant updates to YouTube Live, fresh methods for monetization, and more.
The company showcased new and updated tools for YouTube Studio, which creators use to manage their channels and track analytics. These updates include an inspiration tab, title A/B testing features, and auto dubbing. A particularly notable update is the likeness detection feature. Originally announced last year and available to a limited group, this tool is now in open beta. It allows people to detect, manage, and flag for removal any unauthorized videos that use their facial likeness.
An AI-powered feature called Ask Studio can guide users and answer questions about their account. Additionally, creators will now be able to collaborate with up to five other people on a single video, which will then become available to the audiences of all participating creators.
YouTube also provided updates to its livestreaming platform, YouTube Live. New features allow creators to play minigames to entertain viewers, broadcast simultaneously in both horizontal and vertical formats, and use AI-powered highlights. Creators can also react to live events and utilize a new ad format. The AI-powered highlights automatically select the best moments from a livestream to turn them into shareable Shorts. The new ad format, called side-by-side, runs adjacent to the main content in a split-screen display rather than interrupting the stream.
For Shorts, YouTube is introducing a custom version of Google’s text-to-video generative AI model, Veo 3. This custom version, called Veo 3 Fast, enables creators to apply motion from a video to an image, add different styles to their videos, and insert objects with a simple text prompt. A new remixing tool and an Edit with AI feature are also coming. Creators will be able to transform dialogue from eligible videos into soundtracks for other Shorts using Google’s AI music model, Lyria 2.
YouTube Music received updates designed to deepen engagement between artists and their fans. These include a countdown timer for new releases and the ability for artists to offer fans thank you videos. The company is also testing a pilot program for U.S. listeners that will allow them to access exclusive merchandise drops from artists.
New AI tools are coming for podcasters. Video podcast creators in the U.S. will be able to create clips more easily with AI suggestions. A new feature rolling out next year will offer a way to turn audio podcasts into video podcasts.
YouTube is introducing new monetization features for creators, including new avenues for brand deals and the YouTube Shopping program. This program lets creators earn money by featuring and tagging products in their content. YouTube will now also allow creators to swap out brand sponsorships in long-form videos after they are published.
Creators can use auto timestamps for product tags and auto tagging for eligible items mentioned in their videos. An AI-powered system will identify the optimal moment a product is mentioned and automatically display the product tag. Shorts creators will soon be able to add a dedicated link to a brand’s site for specific deals. Furthermore, YouTube will proactively suggest creators who may be a good fit for brands within its creator partnerships hub.