At its annual ‘Made on YouTube’ event on September 23, 2026, YouTube announced several artificial intelligence-driven platform updates. These include a conversational Gemini-powered editing tool for Shorts and a homepage that adapts to a viewer’s mood. The updates, outlined on both Google’s and YouTube’s corporate blogs, address the needs of viewers, creators, live streamers, and audio users.
Homepages get mood-based custom feeds
The most immediate change for viewers is Custom Feeds, which allows users to create separate homepage tabs based on specific moods or interests instead of relying only on YouTube’s default algorithmic feed. This feature will launch in the United States across web, mobile, and TV this fall, providing a clear timeline compared to the usual “coming soon” phrasing for other features.
YouTube is also introducing “Ask YouTube,” a tool that provides instant recommendations based on conversational queries instead of keyword searches.
Gemini Omni becomes a conversational video editor
The key feature for creators is the integration of Gemini Omni as a chat-based editing assistant within both the Shorts creation flow and the standalone YouTube Create app. Instead of manually scrubbing the timeline, creators can use plain-language prompts to trim dialogue, sync clips to music, insert text hooks, or reorder frames. This shifts basic editing from manual timeline adjustments to simple text prompts.
Studio feedback and brand-partnership tools expand
YouTube Studio will introduce improved feedback mechanisms, although the company has shared fewer details compared to its editing tool updates. Additionally, YouTube is developing resources to help creators connect with brands and pitch sponsorships directly. This initiative positions YouTube to compete with third-party influencer marketing platforms for a share of creator-brand partnerships.
Likeness detection widens to cover faces, not just voices
YouTube is expanding its likeness-detection systems from identifying unauthorized use of a creator’s voice to include their face. This update addresses the rise in AI-generated content that imitates creators without consent. However, YouTube has not yet clarified enforcement procedures, appeals processes, or how this detection will align with current synthetic-media labeling rules.
The expanded likeness detection announcement comes amid growing concerns from creators and performers about AI-generated deepfakes and voice clones. This issue has attracted regulatory attention and pressure from talent unions.
Live streams add auto-dubbing and multi-creator “showdowns”
Three changes are coming to YouTube Live:
- Live auto-dubbing will translate live streams into other languages in real time. It is aimed at removing the language barrier that currently limits a live streamer’s audience to viewers who share their language.
- Live showdowns introduce a co-hosted stream format allowing multiple creators to compete or collaborate against each other live.
- “Watch With” is being expanded so creators can “react live” to eligible long-form videos across the platform, not just within a narrower prior scope.
Shorts gain seasons and episodes
Shorts are being restructured to support serialized storytelling. Creators can now organize individual Shorts into seasons and episodes; a format designed for the growing popularity of vertical micro dramas. Viewers will be able to follow these series on both mobile and TV, supporting YouTube’s efforts to increase Shorts viewership on television screens.
Music gets a conversational Queue tool and AI podcast summaries
Two changes are coming to YouTube Music:
- Ask Music, a conversational AI feature for customizing listening queues on request rather than through manual playlist editing.
- Podcast Lineup, an AI-generated audio digest that delivers a weekly spoken preview of recommended podcast episodes.
What remains unspecified
Several announcements lacked rollout dates, regional availability, or technical details. These include Studio feedback upgrades, brand-partnership resources, expanded likeness detection, and firm dates for Gemini Omni’s editing assistant, live showdowns, auto-dubbing, and Shorts series. Custom Feeds is the only feature with a confirmed timeline at the time of publication.
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