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YouTube is experimenting with a video carousel of search results that appears in AI Overviews, Google’s AI-powered search experience.
A Google spokesperson confirmed the test with ADWEEK, noting that relevant videos will surface for queries like “best noise cancelling headphones” or “museums to visit in San Francisco.” The spokesperson declined to share further details about the program.
The feature is being tested with a small group of YouTube Premium members in the U.S. for select English-language queries, according to a company blog post. The search results are tailored to queries focused on shopping and location-based information.
YouTube’s foray into AI Overviews is Google’s latest move in the AI search race as platforms compete to capture user attention. While Google is leaning on video to make search results more dynamic, startups like Perplexity and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI are striking content deals with publishers to bring more contemporaneous answers into AI-generated responses.
Google is also testing a dedicated “AI Mode” in Search, which generates a full page of AI-powered results in response to user queries. The company already runs ads in AI Overviews and has indicated plans to introduce advertising in AI Mode as well.
