YouTube is adding an AI-powered search results carousel that serves up video suggestions and topic descriptions. A search for “best beaches in Hawaii,” for example, could generate a carousel listing video clips and information on an assortment of snorkel spots and volcanic beaches. YouTube Premium subscribers in the U.S. can try the feature now on searches related to shopping, travel or location-based activities. The Google-owned platform is also expanding its test with conversational AI to some non-Premium users in the U.S. Premium members have been using it for search, recommendations and as a study aid.

The AI carousel feature is “similar to Google’s AI Overviews, the tool that provides AI-generated summaries of search results at the top of the Google Search results page,” TechCrunch writes, noting that news of the carousel “comes two weeks after a Wall Street Journal report revealed that Google’s AI Overviews and other AI-powered tools are devastating traffic for news publishers.”

So the AI carousel could be bad news for YouTube creators, potentially reducing engagement with their videos “just like how AI Overviews on Google Search have led to fewer referrals to news sites,” TechCrunch points out.

“Over the past year, Google has transformed its web search experience with AI, driving toward a zero-click experience,” according to Ars Technica, which suggests the same is coming to YouTube.

“The carousel gives you the relevant parts of the video along with a summary, but the video page is another tap away,” Ars Technica reports, noting that “rather than opening videos, commenting, subscribing, and otherwise interacting with creators, some users will just peruse the AI carousel,” which “could make it harder for channels to grow and earn revenue from their content — the same content Google will feed into Gemini to generate the AI carousel.”

The carousel can also highlight promotional opportunities as well, offering some product matches with related searches. While not a formal ad option yet, “you can see where it’s headed” Ars Technica suggests.

Social Media Today reports that YouTube is also “expanding access to its in-stream AI chatbot tool as another means to maximize in-app discovery.”

YouTube embeds some samples in a blog post.

As for the conversational AI chatbot, Tom’s Guide says “it will allow users to ask questions about a video, such as ‘What is this song?’ or ‘Tell me more about this subject.’”