YouTube CEO confirms TVs are where YouTube users are watching

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan has confirmed that TVs have officially overtaken mobile devices as the primary device for YouTube users.

The moment marks a solidifying of a gradual shift of YouTube from a social media or video streaming platform to an entertainment one. More people are now watching YouTube on TV sets than any other device in the US, with mobile video content presumably shifting to TikTok or even Instagram Reels.

“YouTube is the new television,” wrote Mohan in his annual letter from the CEO. “But the ‘new’ television doesn’t look like the ‘old’ television,” Mohan writes. “It’s interactive and includes things like Shorts (yes, people watch them on TVs), podcasts, and live streams, right alongside the sports, sitcoms and talk shows people already love.”

YouTube has steadily been growing a reputation in household streaming, often beating Netflix as the most-watched streaming platform – a dramatic departure from its start as a web-streaming platform. YouTube has often attempted to chase TV viewers, through initiatives like its in-house content arm YouTube Red, a precursor to YouTube Premium and new features geared towards a TV-based experience.

Mohan went on to outline other ‘big bets for 2025,’ highlighting how YouTube was used by 45 million Americans to watch election-related content on the 2024 election day alone. There’s also a clear focus on AI, with more AI tools coming for creators and even the potential for AI image and video generation suites as well. However, Mohan also highlighted the importance of simpler tools as well.

“As impressive as the generative models are, creators tell us they’re most excited about the ways AI can help with their bread-and-butter production,” said Mohan. “That’s why we’re investing in tools to help them in the everyday work of creation, like coming up with a new video idea, title or thumbnail.”

Other tools coming to the YouTube Partner Program include auto dubbing, to make for easy translation of videos into various languages.

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0

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