New Features on YouTube
YouTube is introducing a new carousel feature, powered by Google’s AI-assisted search functionality. As announced in a blog post, this feature is currently available exclusively to YouTube members in the US. The AI-generated carousel may appear when searching for specific location-related queries, such as shopping, places, or activities, within the YouTube app on mobile devices.

How the Carousel Works
The carousel displays a series of relevant videos that play in sequence from left to right, with each video accompanied by a headline and a paragraph of text explaining its relevance to the search query. Users can also tap on a video thumbnail to jump directly to that specific clip. The design of the carousel is reminiscent of browsing through a friend’s stories on Instagram. According to YouTube, each video in the carousel provides "useful insights" related to the user’s search query.

Conversational AI Tool
In addition to the carousel feature, YouTube is rolling out its conversational AI tool, previously exclusive to Premium and Android users, to standard users in the US. The AI assistant can be activated by clicking the "Ask" button in the toolbar below a video, allowing users to ask questions related to the video content. The tool can also summarize a video before watching it or provide recommendations for similar content. When introduced, YouTube stated that the AI tool draws information from both YouTube and the wider web.

Availability and Limitations
The availability of the new features, including the number of users who can access them and their frequency of appearance, is unclear. It is also uncertain whether iPhone users will have access to these features in the future. Google’s AI Overview tool has been controversial due to concerns about its accuracy, and it remains to be seen whether similar issues will arise for YouTube creators.