YouTube has expanded its AI-powered Ask YouTube search feature to mobile devices in the US, making the conversational tool available across phones, the web and TVs. The company announced the rollout in a blog post on Monday.
What Ask YouTube Does
Ask YouTube is designed to help people reach the right video faster. Users can phrase their search as a full, detailed question, and if the first results aren't quite right, they can keep the conversation going to fine-tune them. Results appear in an interactive layout rather than a plain list. On TVs, the feature also works with voice commands.
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According to Emily Moxley, YouTube's VP of Product Management for Viewer AI, people are already using the tool for a wide range of queries. These include making their own Halloween costumes, exploring video essays and weighing up whether to cut their own bangs.
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How the Rollout Has Progressed
YouTube first unveiled Ask YouTube at Google I/O in May. At the time, YouTube said the tool pulls together the most relevant videos from its entire library, including both long-form videos and Shorts, and presents them in a structured, interactive response.
Initially, the feature was limited to YouTube Premium subscribers aged 18 and above in the US, through YouTube's experimental features page, with the company promising a wider rollout. In July, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced that Ask YouTube was being rolled out on the web for users in the US. TV support was added earlier this year, and mobile now completes the set.
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Coming Soon to Shorts and Live Streams
YouTube is also expanding Ask YouTube on the watch page. This version, which launched last year, is designed to help viewers engage more closely with the videos and creators they enjoy. Soon, it will work while watching Shorts and live streams, so viewers can ask questions and get context about what's happening in the moment.
YouTube hasn't said when Ask YouTube will be available outside the US.
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