“Ask YouTube” is no longer a YouTube Premium feature as the conversational AI search becomes available on mobile Android and iOS devices.
Today, Google announced the Ask YouTube feature would be widely rolling out to mobile users, in addition to TV instances of the YouTube app. Unlike before, Ask YouTube will now be accessible to all users, not just Premium subscribers.
Access to some form of contextual AI model has been available on YouTube for a while, dating back to 2023. Since then, Google has settled on an “Ask YouTube” button that lets users ask questions about videos to get more insight. The rollout has been limited, with TVs and Premium users getting access first.
The feature has evolved a bit, and it’s taken on a conversation-oriented presentation. It isn’t limited to questions about the video or what happens at which timestamp. It’s powered through Gemini, so its answers go beyond strictly what’s in the video you’re watching.
Google also notes that users will be able to use Ask YouTube from the watch page in their Shorts feed and during live streams, but that feature will be a later release. For the time being, users in the US can expect Ask YouTube to show up on your mobile Android or iOS device soon as it rolls out to more users. Google says it plans to gradually expand availability.
More on YouTube:
- YouTube announces Custom Feeds, GIF comments, and ’Your podcast lineup’
- YouTube’s login-breaking bug is getting a fix on TVs and consoles
- YouTube overhauls its app-to-TV experience, shared Wi-Fi network no longer required
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