YouTube rolls out Ask YouTube AI search on mobile in the US

MUMBAI: YouTube wants viewers to do less searching and more asking. Its new AI-powered feature, Ask YouTube, is rolling out on mobile devices in the US, letting users ask questions in everyday language and discover videos without having to rely on traditional keyword searches.

The feature, previously available on the web and television devices in the US, allows users to tap the ‘Ask’ option in YouTube’s search bar, type a question and receive relevant video recommendations alongside contextual information.

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced the mobile rollout on X, sharing examples of queries users could try. These included finding national parks with the best autumn colours, planning a three-day road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and learning how to cut bangs at home.

The idea is to make video discovery feel less like searching through a catalogue and more like having a conversation. Instead of entering a few keywords and sifting through results, users can ask detailed questions and refine their searches with follow-up prompts.

Ask YouTube brings together relevant videos, clips, Shorts and supporting text to help users explore a subject without starting a new search for every additional question.

Someone planning a road trip, for instance, could ask for route recommendations and then narrow the results according to their interests. The conversational format is designed to help viewers move from a broad query to more specific information while keeping the discovery process connected.

YouTube began testing the experience in April 2026 before announcing it at Google I/O. By July, it was available on desktop in the US, with support for television devices expanding in August. The latest mobile rollout extends the experience to viewers using their phones.

The company has also announced plans to bring its conversational AI capabilities directly to watch pages for Shorts and live streams, allowing viewers to ask questions and access additional context while watching content.

For creators, the shift could add another dimension to discoverability. As search becomes better equipped to interpret detailed questions, descriptive titles, clearly structured videos and chapters could help the platform identify content relevant to a viewer’s query. However, the rollout does not establish that these elements will automatically improve a video’s ranking.

YouTube’s move comes amid a broader push to make content easier to find across Google’s ecosystem.

In a separate development, Google has introduced Search profiles for eligible creators and publishers in India, allowing them to consolidate their presence across platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, X and TikTok into a single profile accessible through Google Search.

The feature is available in India, the US and Canada. To qualify, creators must be at least 18 years old and have at least 10,000 followers or subscribers on one supported platform.

Eligible users can visit profile.google.com/claim, sign in with their Google account and connect their social media accounts. They can also update their biographies, add links and manage their online presence through their profiles. Google allows up to 10 separate profiles to be managed through a single account, potentially helping creators and publishers with multiple channels or digital brands.

Search profiles do not directly improve a creator’s ranking on Google Search, but they provide another way for audiences to find their work and follow their online presence through Google Discover.

While Ask YouTube changes how viewers look for videos, Search profiles give creators another way to bring their content and accounts together. Both developments reflect a wider effort to make digital discovery less dependent on knowing precisely what to type or where to look.

For now, Ask YouTube’s mobile rollout is limited to the US. YouTube has indicated plans to expand the experience to more users and regions, but a specific launch date for India has not been announced.