New YouTube head shares 2023 Priorities: TV, Podcasts, and generative AI

Abner Li | Mar 1 2023 - 9:11 am PT

YouTube has a new leader following Susan Wojcicki stepping down, and Neal Mohan today discussed the video service’s 2023 Priorities.

Supporting Creators is the first tentpole for the 2023 Priorities, with Mohan sharing how YouTube “more than doubled the number of creators and partners who can get live help through chat or email” last year.

Over half of these creators are located outside of the U.S. We’ve also significantly increased the number of creators who have a partner manager to give strategic tips for success on YouTube.

In terms of “Building for the YouTube of the Future,” the focus on optimizing the television experience continues. YouTube highlighted the Shorts player on televisions and the Primetime Channels store for third-party streaming services.

TV was our fastest growing screen last year, and we’re seeing growth and momentum internationally.

NFL Sunday Ticket was also discussed, with YouTube TV capabilities like key plays coming to the main YouTube app. Other new features are planned:

And creators will connect with sports fans through coverage and commentary. Sunday Ticket will also come with ways to engage with other fans, including comments, chats, and polls. Coming later this year to YouTube TV: a new feature that lets viewers watch multiple games at once.

Work on YouTube Podcasts was reiterated, but there’s still no firm timeline on availability in YouTube Music:

New features in YouTube Studio make it easier to publish podcasts, and we’ll also start bringing both audio and video-first podcasts to the millions of people who use YouTube Music in the United States, with more regions to come. And later this year, RSS integration will offer podcasters another way to upload their shows to YouTube and give our users more listening options.

Looking ahead, AI was mentioned as a way to “reinvent video and make the seemingly impossible possible.” More will be announced in the coming months, with built-in, generative AI-powered capabilities possibly becoming a competitive advantage for video platforms going forward:

Creators will be able to expand their storytelling and raise their production value, from virtually swapping outfits to creating a fantastical film setting through AI’s generative capabilities.

In the short-term, look out for:

This year, we’ll roll out a creation tool that lets creators record a Short in a side-by-side layout with both Shorts and YouTube videos so they can easily add their own take on a trend or join in with reactions.