YouTube CEO Neal Mohan has shared his vision for the platform’s future, which includes a significant expansion beyond mobile devices.
What Happened: In an interview with Bloomberg’s Emily Chang, Mohan discussed his plans to make YouTube a unit of Google, which is owned by Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL), an even more pervasive platform.
Mohan envisions Shorts as a key catalyst for the platform’s future expansion, aiming to rival the widespread influence of TikTok. This strategic move aligns with his broader vision for YouTube, which goes beyond just mobile devices.
“We're not a social media platform,” he stated, adding, “We're not traditional media in the sense that we're not linear television. We're really sort of our own thing. So what that means for me is staying focused on what we do best, which is a place to create, share, and watch video no matter where you are in the world, no matter what screen you're on.”
Mohan also made it clear that investing in live sports content will continue to be a priority, especially after concluding season one of the NFL Sunday Ticket. However, as YouTube expands its horizons, some of its grassroots content creators have voiced concerns about the platform’s changing landscape, the report noted.
Several prominent creators have departed, citing exhaustion. Running a YouTube channel now demands full-time commitment, with top influencers like MrBeast, Rhett & Link, and Michelle Khare supported by dedicated teams.
“I know lots of creators who've chosen to either take a break or perhaps move to different sorts of pursuits,” Mohan said.
“Some of them have moved from in front of the camera to behind the camera. Some of them have moved to grow different types of businesses out of their YouTube experience. And I think all of that is actually a natural evolution, but actually also really great because it's a decision that they were able to make based on their success on our platform,” he concluded.
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Why It Matters: YouTube is now the most popular streaming service on television, accounting for 9.6% of viewing time, according to Nielsen. The platform’s subscription services, such as YouTube Premium and YouTube TV, have contributed significantly to Alphabet’s $15 billion in subscription revenue last year.
Mohan, who became CEO of YouTube in 2023, is a former top executive at DoubleClick, a display-ad company acquired by Google in 2008. His plans to expand YouTube’s reach beyond mobile devices come at a time when the platform is facing challenges from other social media and streaming platforms.
Meanwhile, earlier this year, Mohan also expressed concerns about the potential misuse of creators’ content by ChatGPT-parent OpenAI to train its AI, warning that this would be a “clear violation” of the platform’s policies.
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