YouTube is expanding its AI-powered "Ask YouTube" conversational search feature to include shopping capabilities. The tool, which uses natural language processing to help users find relevant content, will now offer organised product recommendations, comparison tables, and the ability to ask follow-up questions on video watch pages. The company reported that over 140 million people used Ask YouTube in June, representing a 500% increase since December. The feature employs a custom Gemini model that matches viewer queries to specific moments in videos. YouTube says the expansion responds to user behaviour trends, as viewers increasingly rely on creator opinions when making purchasing decisions. The feature presents results combining both Shorts and long-form videos for topics ranging from travel planning to skill-building guides.

YouTube unveiled new AI-powered features for YouTube Studio at its Made on YouTube event, aimed at helping creators analyse videos and grow audiences. The updates include expanding Ask Studio, its AI Q&A feature, to iOS and Android. New tools provide AI feedback on unpublished videos, suggesting improvements to pacing, structure, and storytelling. The app will generate thumbnails and titles based on video content, matched to creators' styles. A dynamic thumbnail feature creates three options to show different audience segments. YouTube said creators have run over 40 million A/B tests on titles and thumbnails. Soon, users can test up to three video cuts to determine which opening hook performs best. Later this year, the platform will automatically monitor thumbnail performance and proactively change underperforming ones. Updated analytics will explain why videos perform certain ways and offer engagement advice.

YouTube announced "Shorts Series" at its Made On YouTube event Wednesday, allowing creators to organise their Shorts into TV-style seasons and episodes with custom thumbnails and continuous playback. The feature is rolling out to creators in the YouTube Partner Program across web, mobile and connected TVs. The move reflects growing interest in microdramas, with creators like Hannah Stocking and Joshua Ovenshire already experimenting with vertical drama. The format has attracted Hollywood names including James Franco, Issa Rae and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. YouTube's feature puts it in direct competition with microdrama apps like TikTok's PineDrama, ReelShort and DramaBox. Shorts Series builds on "Creator Shows", announced last year, which gave select creators tools to organise content for TV viewing.