In his first presentation to the community since taking up the position as YouTube’s CEO last month, Neal Mohan detailed his top goals and hinted at some planned additions for the media site. Mohan begins his letter by promising to “continue to put [creators] first” and summarizing some of the most recent additions the platform has introduced. Additionally, he hinted at one intriguing new development: YouTube is creating generative AI tools for video producers.
Neal Mohan, the new CEO of YouTube, announced on Wednesday that the firm intends to release generative AI tools for creators in the upcoming months. According to Mohan, the technologies will allow filmmakers to virtually change their attire or make “fantastical” cinematic locations.
In addition to discussing plans to grow the company’s subscription business, Neal Mohan also gives a sneak peek at the new short video and podcasting services unveiled in 2023.
Mohan said in a just-published letter, “Creators can broaden their storytelling and raise their production value, from digitally swapping clothing to building a magical cinematic setting through AI’s generative skills. We are taking our time to create sensible guardrails for these features.”
YouTube hasn’t given any specifics about how these generative AI tools would function, but Mohan said we could anticipate them becoming available to creators “in the next months,” along with unknown safeguards to ensure the technology is being used appropriately.
Many have questioned the morality and legality of the technology in the wake of the rapid popularity and accessibility of generative AI models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and DALL-E. Some have claimed that the datasets that train such models may violate copyright restrictions. According to Mohan, the enormous creative opportunities that AI offers must be matched by prudent stewardship.
Also, Mohan promised a significant update to YouTube Shorts. Like TikTok’s Duet function, YouTube will introduce a creative option later this year to let users record a Short next to an already-existing YouTube video or Short. Duets on TikTok have grown to be one of the most well-known forms on the app since their launch in 2018, to the point where Instagram launched its own version of Reels in 2021, titled “Reels Remix.”
A significant new feature will also be geared toward YouTube’s traditional TV initiatives. Beginning with the 2023 NFL season, YouTube TV will solely distribute the NFL Sunday Ticket out-of-market sports package in the US, as it did back in December. Also, Mohan disclosed that a new YouTube TV feature that enables simultaneous viewing of various games would launch later this year.
Mohan is taking over at a turbulent moment following his predecessor Susan Wojcicki, who left her position as CEO of YouTube after serving for nine years. The parent company of YouTube, Alphabet, announced that over the holiday quarter, the platform’s ad revenue fell by 8% yearly. The latest crackdown on swearing on YouTube has also drawn criticism, with producers complaining that the new profanity and content standards are too ambiguous and strictly enforced.
“Handling the friction between creators and marketers is the most important challenge for whoever runs YouTube, and Mohan understands what’s in store. I recognized YouTube’s potential even in its early stages, ” said Mohan. “I’m now very eager to steer it toward the future,” he added.
