YouTube revealed a set of AI tools at its Made on YouTube event on September 23, covering video production, channel management, brand partnerships, and commerce across the creator workflow.
Ask Studio is the most significant new addition, according to the company. It provides channel performance summaries, viewer comment analysis, and personalized strategic guidance, and also helps creators respond to brand briefs and develop pitch materials within YouTube Studio.
It also assists with brand partnerships, helping creators respond to briefs and develop pitch materials, which moves YouTube directly into the commercial relationship between creators and advertisers rather than simply facilitating the transaction.
YouTube Studio is also adding A/B testing for up to three video cuts, feedback on early drafts before a video is published, and channel-matched thumbnail generation that fits a creator's existing visual style rather than producing generic options.
The Gemini-powered conversational editing tool, available in Shorts and the YouTube Create app, allows creators to use natural language prompts to trim pauses, rearrange clips, and improve pacing rather than working through manual editing timelines. Manual editing remains available for creators who want granular control.
"Our vision is for Ask Studio to become the ultimate creative partner for every Creator, a trusted companion that Creators turn to first," YouTube said in its announcement.
YouTube Shopping's affiliate program, already at 1.3 million enrolled creators, is also expanding to 35 countries by the end of 2026.
Creators in India and Brazil will be able to tag Amazon products in their videos, extending Amazon's agentic commerce reach into YouTube's creator ecosystem, according to the company.
Product tags will automatically display localized offers based on where a viewer is watching, making the shopping layer market-specific rather than applying a single global price and availability.
Ask YouTube's expansion into shopping queries adds a product discovery dimension to YouTube's search layer. Users will be able to ask about products, receive organized recommendations, and see comparison tables, with voice commands available for TV users.
The feature connects YouTube's existing strength in product review and demonstration content to a direct purchase pathway rather than requiring viewers to leave the platform to complete research.
YouTube said its Shopping affiliate expansion and Ask YouTube shopping features together reflect a move toward integrating commerce across both the creator and viewer experience, connecting the moment of product discovery in a video to the moment of purchase without routing through a separate e-commerce surface.