YouTube is in talks with publishers to launch an audiobook service, raising expectations that audiobooks could be available on the video platform sometime next year.
The Wall Street Journal reported on the 14th, citing people familiar with the matter, that YouTube has spent recent months discussing audiobook features with publishers, targeting a launch next year.
It remains unclear how YouTube would display audiobooks or charge for individual titles. But the people said YouTube is considering bundling audiobooks into YouTube Premium, its paid subscription service that starts at $15.99 a month in the United States. The move is part of an effort to strengthen the appeal of its paid subscription offering and set it apart from rival streaming platforms.
Spotify and Amazon's Audible currently dominate the U.S. audiobook business. Publishers see YouTube's entry as a chance to draw the platform's vast user base into the audiobook market. They also expect it to generate revenue by addressing the unauthorized audiobooks flooding YouTube.
Creators frequently upload readings of books or audiobooks generated with AI voices without permission, and enforcement has been limited. A survey of 1,706 audiobook listeners aged 18 and over conducted by Edison Research in February found that 45% had listened to an audiobook on YouTube, up from 35% in 2024.
E-Books Fade as Audiobooks Thrive
YouTube's interest in the audiobook market reflects the format's position as the fastest-growing segment of publishing in recent years. Digital audiobook sales revenue grew from about $265 million in 2016 to $1 billion in 2025, according to the Association of American Publishers. That figure is up about 43% from 2024.
Audiobooks have gained popularity because they are convenient and can be enjoyed while doing other things. In the Edison Research survey, listeners cited the ability to multitask (86%) and to listen while on the move (84%) as the biggest advantages.
Revenue from "audio first" titles, which are released as audiobooks before print editions, surged 50% to $136 million in 2025 from $91.1 million in 2024. Their share also edged higher, accounting for 6% of total net revenue in 2025.
Views on AI-narrated audiobooks are mixed. Consumption and the number of releases of audiobooks produced with AI-generated voices rose in 2025, but willingness to try AI-narrated titles fell to 61% in 2026 from 70% in 2025. Only 16% of audiobook listeners have tried an AI-voiced audiobook, and AI-related revenue accounted for just 0.03% of total sales in 2025.