'I'll put them first': YouTube CEO Neal Mohan shares his top-most priority

Google’s video-sharing platform, YouTube, is set to introduce new generative AI features that will enable content creators to generate fantastical film settings and virtually swap outfits in their videos. This move comes as Google aims to catch up with competitors such as OpenAI and Microsoft, who have already launched their own AI products for consumers.

Neal Mohan, YouTube’s CEO, wrote in his first communication to the YouTube community since taking up his role last month that “the power of AI is just beginning to emerge in ways that will reinvent video and make the seemingly impossible possible.” He added that YouTube creators will be able to benefit from the generative capabilities of AI in the coming months.

“Creators and artists are the heart of YouTube, and I’ll continue to put them first,” Mohan said in a blog post.

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Google, which owns Alphabet Inc., is under pressure to release generative AI products, especially those that can generate detailed text answers or create brand-new images based on data ingested from the internet and other digital sources. Despite being seen as a pioneer in AI research, some critics have claimed that the company has been slow to roll out its own tools and services that are ready for public use.

In contrast, its rivals have recently released popular AI products, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Bing AI chatbot, even though there are concerns that the conversations and scripts they generate may sometimes be inaccurate, belligerent, or bizarre.

Google also announced its own ChatGPT competitor called Bard, in February. This comes amid a digital ad slowdown and speculation that AI-powered chatbots could disrupt the company’s main internet-search business. The company declared a “code red” last year, shortly after ChatGPT’s release, prompting its AI engineers to scramble for a response.

However, YouTube’s Mohan has signalled that Google will maintain its caution. He underscored in his message to the YouTube community that the company would develop its generative AI features “with thoughtful guardrails” and ensure “protections to embrace this technology responsibly.”

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