YouTube Brings 'Ask YouTube' & Gemini Omni Remixing to Shorts

Yesterday’s Google I/O event was packed with several announcements, revolving around AI Search, new Gemini 3.5 Flash model, and more. Needless to say, YouTube also got some attention, and this time it is not only about watching videos anymore. The company is now turning YouTube into an AI chatbot.

YouTube is getting a much smarter search experience

Speaking of new features, YouTube is getting “Ask YouTube.” As the name suggests, instead of typing basic search keywords, users can now ask full questions naturally, almost like chatting with Gemini itself. For example, someone could ask for cozy game recommendations before bedtime or tips for teaching a child how to ride a bike. YouTube will then pull together relevant Shorts and long-form videos into a structured AI-generated response.

Ask YouTube supports follow-up questions too, meaning users can continue refining results without starting over. For now, the feature is available to Premium users aged 18 and older in the US through YouTube’s experimental features hub. Google says a wider rollout is planned later on.

Gemini Omni is expanding across YouTube Creation tools

YouTube Shorts is also getting upgraded with Gemini Omni integration. For those unaware, Gemini Omni is a new model that can generate “anything from any input.” Users can now remix eligible Shorts using prompts and images to completely transform videos. Google says creators can change scenes into different aesthetics, place themselves alongside creators, or reshape videos while still preserving the original context.

The company claims Gemini Omni handles difficult video and audio edits behind the scenes, making the process easier for casual creators who may not have advanced editing skills. Google is also bringing the same Omni-powered remixing features to the YouTube Create app, with AI Playground support arriving later.

It’s worth noting that YouTube says remixed Shorts will include digital watermarks, metadata labels, and links back to original videos. Creators can also opt out of visual remixing entirely. Meanwhile, YouTube’s likeness detection tool is now expanding to all creators aged 18 and older.