YouTube Set to Become Top Media Company In U.S. With New AI Features

YouTube celebrated its 20th anniversary at the Made event, announcing new features and products for content creators. The platform has become the most popular way to watch TV in the United States and is projected to surpass Disney in media revenue this year.

According to its recent announcement, YouTube is innovating for the next decade by introducing new AI tools for content creators. Among them are new options for Shorts designed to help users produce more creative content.

“We’ve started integrating Google DeepMind’s Veo 3 Fast into YouTube Shorts so you can easily create video backgrounds or clips with sound,” said Johanna Voolich, YouTube’s Chief Product Officer. “ And new capabilities powered by Veo allow you to apply motion, restyle videos, and add props to your scenes.”

Users will also be able to upload raw footage and generate a first draft, as well as transform speech into songs using AI.

YouTube added new tools to YouTube Studio, including Create Collaborations to expand reach, and Ask Studio to deliver better insights through data. The YouTube Partner Program will include a likeness detection tool so that creators can see if other videos are using AI to impersonate them.

The platform will focus on live content, including efforts to reimagine modern TV. “On average, over 30% of daily logged-in YouTube viewers watched live content in Q2 2025 alone,” noted Voolich. To support creators, YouTube will roll out discovery features, practice modes before going live, and new monetization options such as side-by-side ads and members-only livestreams.

The company acknowledges users’ value and creativity and said it has paid over $100 billion in the past four years to content creators.

According to Reuters, YouTube is set to surpass Disney, the industry leader in media revenue in the United States, this year. The company has also expanded its reach. “YouTube captured 13.4% of U.S. viewership in July, versus 9.4% for Disney,” states the report.

Last year, YouTube announced redesigns for its platform, a hub for creators, and other AI-powered features such as image generation for Shorts and realistic backgrounds.