Creators are currently competing with AI summary for viewers' attention. Credit: Jacob Lund via Canva.com
I searched the video, but instead of clicking it I read the summary. There are no play buttons or ads. Please tell me what you find in the video. This is the latest experiment on YouTube and could completely change the way we use the platform. Users in India and the US are watching the highlights of the video, an AI-generated summary drawn directly from YouTube content. It's fast and raises serious questions, but if AI is watching for you, who is actually watching the video itself? This is a breakdown of what YouTube's AI Carousel is doing, how it affects its creators, and what the future of monetization and trust is indeed the world's largest video site.
What is the new AI search Carousel on YouTube?
On June 26, 2025, YouTube began rolling out Carousel, a search result generated by AI to some US users on mobile. Instead of simply looking at the walls of the video, users will look at a summary of scrollable summary of topics related to their search. Google search, AI overview, and traditional YouTube results can all be thought within the application.
- Short preview Alternatively, a snippet that summarizes important information about a search topic
- Related Topics It surfaced as a card (e.g. “Budget Travel Tips”, “How to Plan a Solo Travel”, “Packing Hack”)
- a Gemini Drive The backend is creating these results and pulling data from YouTube, and sometimes across Google's wider ecosystem.
It's not like ChatGpt or confusion when answering questions. It mainly tweaks users towards deeper discovery, keeping them on the platform for longer and leading users more intentionally.
This was the first time there was a genuine fusion of AI and YouTube search, indicating that YouTube is repositioning its position as a knowledge platform rather than an entertainment platform. And it changes the way people search, see and learn everything in one place.
The creators now have an intermediary.
For years, YouTube creator videos have been optimized for focusing on keywords, thumbnails and viewing times. This new AI Carousel introduces a new layer of algorithm summary that determines what users will see first.
- Instead of users landing directly on your video from the search, they may see now Advertise a summary about your topicis generated by Google's AI.
- Your video may still appear in the carousel, but that's it Competing with AI Curation Description of the same subject.
- What's worse, if the content doesn't match the summary logic or metadata, it It was completely excluded.
Think of it like this: AI doesn't just recommend content anymore – it I interpret itcondense it, Determine what is worth surfaced.
For creators, that means:
- Optimizing the title and description may not be enough.
- You may need to start Build your content more clearlyso that AI can analyze your points and include you in the carousel summary.
- There is also the risk The view may be reducedespecially for creators who rely on niche queries that are currently absorbed into AI's blurry.
AI is becoming a new gatekeeper. Creators aren't just fighting for attention. They are now negotiating with the machine.
Global meaning
If the AI overview sounds familiar, you should. Google introduced it for a search in May 2025. This elicited both excitement and repulsion. Currently, AI-generated summary is displayed above traditional links. Even YouTube does the same thing within its application, with the same architecture.
- Instead of looking up the video, enter a question on YouTube
- The application automatically generates, AI salts and highlights the summed information without the need to click.
- It's certainly a convenient change.
This suggests that it's not about which creators rank first, but about what AI judges to be true, such as educational news and scientific content. Would you like to raise an interesting question about what happens when the content is accurate but subtle? What happens if the AI skips over you and skips something easier?
This is a global test, deployed in English to Indian and US users, not in Europe and has not yet been deployed. EU AI law and digital services may be intentional, as they bring in much more stringent transparency rules, especially for those that could affect visibility and even public opinion.
If Google owns both a search engine and a video platform, the answer can rebuild the entire ecosystem.
A real error
Up until now, YouTube rankings have been determined primarily by engagement, clicks, viewing times and even likes. However, AI-generated summaries could mean that creators are no longer judged by their content, but they didn't even train them by how well their ideas were interpreted, extracted and validated.
Even Google's own AI overview has already made a de facto mistake, from recommendations for pizza glue to misrepresenting climate data. Imagine that, but in video format. Next, imagine a 10-minute explanator on cancer treatment boils down to one sentence. The content may be tough, but it has deteriorated in terms of accuracy.
Now it's not all negative. Some creators can benefit from increased reach. AI can surface content that otherwise remains undetected.
However, AI curates that message, and YouTube, owned by the same company that develops the AI summary model, blurs the line between publisher platforms and gatekeepers.
Search bar or stage?
YouTube is no longer just a video platform. It is becoming a source of learning tools, search engines, product review hubs, and now summarised answers. So instead of typing into Google and directing towards YouTube, users can also type in YouTube and click play before getting results.
This AI generates content from the video without the need for author input. That means creators no longer have full control over their message, but AI does. YouTube is no longer just bringing content to the surface. It's parsed, interpreted and repackaged, so you get everything before the user selects it.
