YouTube has rolled out a trial of an AI‑driven search tool dubbed “Ask YouTube,” aimed at turning queries into a conversational exchange. The feature lives inside YouTube Labs, an opt‑in program that currently serves U.S. Premium subscribers. Testers type natural‑language prompts—like planning a road trip—and receive a mix of video clips and AI‑generated summaries for users.

The interface suggests prompts such as “unique ideas for a backyard water feature” or “how to make a traditional French omelet,” then highlights timestamps within longer videos. Both rely on Google's Gemini AI to parse intent in early trials. Labs is also testing Beyond the Beat, which adds AI‑generated song details in YouTube Music, and VibeCheck, an AI coach that critiques Shorts before publishing.

Participants can enable the experiment on the YouTube Labs site, and the trial runs through June 8. By surfacing concise text alongside video, the tool promises to substantially cut search friction for power users. Early feedback will determine whether the conversational model replaces the traditional bar for the platform’s core discovery experience.