YouTube unveils new AI-powered tools & monetisation updates for creators

At the 'Made on YouTube' event, the company introduced several significant updates, showcasing the platform's vision to enhance creator tools, audience engagement, and monetisation.

"On YouTube, success isn't one size fits all. It’s as unique as our vibrant creators and artists. Whether it’s about self-expression, finding community, or reaching financial freedom, we want to offer long-lasting opportunities to forge your own path to success. And now, we’re bringing the transformative power of AI to that journey, while building on our track record of responsibility. We believe AI will unlock new forms of expression for creators, and that it should put its power to work for you and your creative vision. Today at Made on YouTube, we’re unveiling new ways to connect people, ignite creativity, drive businesses, and champion new voices", said Johanna Voolich, Chief Product Officer, YouTube.

Here are some of the features.

Dream Screen with Veo: Enhancements in YouTube Shorts

Beyond generating backgrounds, creators will now have the ability to create six-second standalone video clips through the Google DeepMind Veo model. This feature allows creators to seamlessly fill gaps in their Shorts footage with AI-generated clips, enhancing storytelling potential. These clips will come with SynthID watermarks to clearly indicate AI involvement.

Inspiration Tab overhaul

The platform is transforming its 'Inspiration Tab' in YouTube Studio into a generative AI powered brainstorming tool. This tab will now offer curated suggestions for content ideas, including titles, thumbnails, and video outlines. The AI will personalise these suggestions based on the creator's unique style. A shortcut to access the Inspiration Tab will be introduced next year from various points of engagement, such as top comments or existing videos

Deeper fan connections through communities

YouTube is expanding its ‘Communities’ feature, providing a dedicated space on creators’ channels for fan interaction. This hub allows fans to discuss videos, share fan art, and connect with each other. While currently available on a limited number of channels, the feature will be tested with more creators this year, with wider access planned for early 2025.

"Creators also told us they wanted more control over their communities, from deciding who can post to setting clear guidelines for behavior. They need the ability to take a break without feeling guilty, knowing their community can momentarily continue in their absence. With all of this feedback in mind, we narrowed in on our goals, the space had to be open and welcoming, but also intimate and personal. It had to feel like an extension of the creator's channel. And, it had to be easy for newcomers to step in, even if they'd never been there before." said Whitney Taylor, Head of Design, YouTube Community.

'Hype' for emerging creators

The platform is further rolling out 'Hype', a tool that enables fans to promote emerging creators by ‘hyping’ their videos. Videos with the most hype points will be featured on a leaderboard, increasing their chances of being discovered. This feature has already been tested in Brazil, Turkey, and Taiwan, with expansion plans.

"The idea for hyping sparked from a simple observation, passionate fans want to be part of their favorite creators' success stories. They want to do more than just watch and like, they want to actively help those creators get discovered. In fact, when we surveyed over 2,500 viewers ages 18-45 from the US, Japan, and Germany, over 75% of respondents and over 80% of Gen Z viewers said they would like to help small and medium-sized creators grow their channels." said  Jessica Locke, Product Manager, YouTube.

Automatic dubbing with naturalness

YouTube’s dubbing tool will now transfer not just the language but also the tone and ambiance of the original audio, creating a more natural dubbing experience. This feature aims to help creators reach a global audience by supporting multiple languages like Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Italian.

Monetisation and fan engagement tools

The platform is introducing 'Jewels and digital gifts' to enhance real time fan engagement, starting with vertical livestreams in the U.S. These features allow fans to react in real time, expressing excitement and supporting creators through digital items that also provide creators with new revenue streams.

YouTube shopping expansion

The platform is broadening its Shopping affiliate program, which allows creators to recommend products and earn revenue. It is expanding to new regions, including Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, in partnership with Shopee.

"There are now over 250,000 creators in YouTube Shopping! The YouTube Shopping affiliate program is currently available in US and South Korea, and today, we’re expanding to Indonesia, in partnership with Shopee. In the coming weeks, we’ll bring the program to Thailand and Vietnam, so more of you across the globe can share your favorite products with fans and grow your businesses." said Johanna Voolich, Chief Product Officer, YouTube.

Living room monetisation

The number of creators generating revenue from smart TV content has grown by over 30% year on year. The platform is introducing new ways for creators to organise their content for TV viewers, including organising videos into seasons and adding immersive content experiences.

"The living room has become a new frontier for creators who are increasingly crafting experiences designed specifically for the big screen. And it’s paying off, The number of creators making a majority of their YouTube revenue on TV screens is up more than 30% year over year. To help our creators' content shine on TVs, they will soon be able to organise their content into seasons and episodes, making it easy for viewers to tune into the new must see TV. We're making other improvements to the TV experience with immersive content that plays directly from a creator's channel, streamlined subscription options and easier access to links in descriptions" , said Johanna Voolich, Chief Product Officer, YouTube.

For creators, these updates present a wealth of opportunities, from generating fresh ideas to unlocking new revenue streams and improving content visibility. The expanded suite of tools allows for deeper presence-building within the platform, supporting both creative and financial growth.