YouTube CEO Neal Mohan has shared the platform’s key priorities for 2026, focusing on content innovation, creator support, AI integration, and safe experiences for children and teens. The announcement emphasizes YouTube’s role as a hub for culture, learning, and digital media growth.
Reinventing Entertainment: Creators as Content Leaders
Mohan highlighted that creators are central to entertainment, producing content comparable to traditional studios. Viewers turn to YouTube for major cultural moments, including Super Bowl coverage by creators like Jesser and Kay Adams, the Oscars red carpet, and releases from Taylor Swift and BTS.
Creators are investing in studio-scale production and developing new formats. Julian Shapiro-Barnum’s Outside Tonight, a late-night series for digital audiences, is cited as an example.
YouTube provides content across long-form videos, Shorts, music videos, livestreams, and podcasts. Shorts now average 200 billion daily views, and upcoming updates will integrate image posts directly into the feed.
Music content continues to be a priority, with tools to discover new artists, understand songs’ stories, and explore new releases. According to Nielsen, YouTube has led U.S. streaming watchtime for nearly three years.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV will introduce fully customizable multiview and over ten specialized plans across sports, news, and entertainment, giving viewers more control over their subscriptions.
Enhancing Experiences for Kids and Teens
YouTube supports learning and skill development for younger audiences. A 2025 Kantar survey reported that 93% of U.S. viewers aged 18–27 agree YouTube helps them learn new skills. An Oxford Economics 2025 survey found that 79% of teachers using YouTube said it aids student learning.
When it comes to children and teens, YouTube has a history of age-appropriate experiences, including YouTube Kids (2015) and a supervised experience for pre-teens (2021).
Last week, YouTube announced updates to strengthen and simplify parental controls, reflecting its focus on allowing parents to decide what’s right for their families. Parents will be able to set time limits for Shorts scrolling, including an option to set it to zero—an industry first.
Powering the Creator Economy
In the last four years, YouTube has distributed more than $100 billion in earnings to creators, artists, and media companies, said Mohan. In 2024, the platform contributed $55 billion to U.S. GDP and supported more than 490,000 full-time jobs.
Expanding Monetization
Creators can earn through multiple channels, including YouTube Shopping, brand deals, and fan funding features like Jewels and gifts. Over 500,000 creators are active in YouTube Shopping, allowing in-app purchases without leaving the platform.
Improving Brand Partnerships
YouTube is enhancing tools for brands and agencies to find creators and manage campaigns. Features such as linking to brand sites in Shorts or updating branded segments create ongoing revenue from previous content.
AI Tools and Content Safeguards
AI powers recommendations, moderation, and creator tools. Over one million channels used YouTube AI creation tools daily in December 2025. Upcoming features include Shorts using a creator’s likeness, game creation from text prompts, and music experimentation.
AI Transparency and Protections
Creators must disclose AI-generated or synthetically altered content. Harmful synthetic media violating guidelines is removed. YouTube is enhancing Content ID to help creators manage their likeness and supports legislation like the NO FAKES Act.
Managing Low-Quality AI Content
YouTube is refining systems to reduce repetitive or low-quality AI content while maintaining broad creative expression, building on its experience combating spam and clickbait.
Enhancing Viewer Interaction
AI tools such as Ask help users explore content, and autodubbed videos improve accessibility. In December 2025, over 20 million users interacted with Ask, and more than six million daily viewers watched at least ten minutes of autodubbed content.
Looking Ahead
Mohan noted that the next influential creators are likely just starting today, emphasizing YouTube’s focus on technology, creative tools, and opportunities for the next generation of creators and audiences.