YouTube's newest Premium perk: more AI clutter

YouTube is introducing a new AI-generated carousel feature, currently exclusive to Premium members in the US, which appears when searching for specific topics like shopping or places to visit. The carousel displays a series of relevant videos that play in order, with each video having its own headline and descriptive text. The feature is designed to provide useful insights related to the user's search query. YouTube is also rolling out its conversational AI tool, previously exclusive to Premium and Android users, to standard users in the US. The AI tool can be activated by clicking the "Ask" button below a video and allows users to ask questions, get video summaries, and receive content recommendations. The tool draws on information from YouTube and the wider web, but its accuracy has been a topic of controversy. It's unclear how many users will have access to the feature or how often it will appear. iPhone users may not have access to the feature yet, and it's unknown when they will. The AI tool's impact on YouTube creators is also uncertain. The new features are part of YouTube's efforts to integrate Google's AI-assisted search functionality. The implementation of the carousel feature resembles browsing through Instagram stories.