In a significant shift in viewing habits, television has become the primary device for YouTube consumption in the United States, surpassing mobile devices in terms of watch time12. This milestone, announced by CEO Neal Mohan, coincides with YouTube's 20th anniversary and reflects a broader trend in streaming preferences1. According to Nielsen, YouTube has maintained its position as the leading platform for streaming watch time in the U.S. for two consecutive years1. The transition to TV-first viewing represents a major evolution in how Americans engage with digital content, with users now consuming over 1 billion hours of YouTube content on TVs daily34.

YouTube's growth trajectory continues to impress, with the platform reaching new milestones in 2025. The shift to TV-first viewing has contributed significantly to YouTube's expansion, with the platform now boasting over 2.5 billion monthly active users globally1. This growth is not limited to the United States, as YouTube has seen substantial increases in viewership across various demographics and regions.

• Long-form content consumption on YouTube rose by 8% in 2024, accounting for 73% of all viewing time on the platform in the U.S.2

• YouTube TV, the platform's live TV streaming service, has experienced a slowdown in subscriber growth, indicating a potential saturation point in the market3

• The platform's free ad-supported content remains popular, with YouTube implementing new strategies to monetize this audience, including the introduction of hour-long ads for users who employ ad-blockers4

• YouTube's dominance in the streaming space is further emphasized by its consistent ranking as the #1 platform in streaming watch time in the U.S. for two consecutive years, according to Nielsen5

These statistics underscore YouTube's evolving role in the media landscape, as it continues to adapt to changing viewer preferences and technological advancements.

YouTube continues to innovate with AI-powered features to enhance the creator and viewer experience. The platform has introduced an Inspiration tab in YouTube Studio, offering AI-generated video ideas, titles, thumbnails, and even outlines to help creators brainstorm and develop content more efficiently1. For viewers, YouTube is testing a feature that allows users to skip to the "best parts" of videos, potentially changing how content is consumed and created2.

Additionally, YouTube has rolled out new live streaming features to increase interactivity and collaboration:

• Live Q&A: Allows viewers to submit questions during streams, with answered questions pinned to the top of the chat3.

• Go Live Together: Enables creators to invite guests to join their mobile livestreams4.

• Live Rings: Helps viewers identify when a channel is streaming live3.

• Cross Channel Redirects: Allows creators to direct viewers to livestreams on other channels, fostering collaboration4.

These innovations demonstrate YouTube's commitment to empowering creators and enhancing viewer engagement across various content formats.

YouTube's creator economy has experienced significant growth, with the platform paying out over $30 billion to creators, artists, and media companies in the past three years1. This expansion is driven by the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), which offers creators ten different monetization features beyond traditional ad revenue1. The platform's creative ecosystem contributed more than $35 billion to the US economy in 2022 and supported over 390,000 full-time equivalent jobs2.

To further fuel this growth, YouTube has diversified revenue streams for creators, including:

• Affiliate marketing opportunities, allowing creators to earn commissions by promoting products3

• Sponsorships and brand partnerships, enabling creators to collaborate with companies for additional income4

• Merchandise sales and live performance engagements, leveraging creators' YouTube presence to drive off-platform revenue2

These alternative monetization methods have helped creators build sustainable careers and businesses, cementing YouTube's position as a central hub for the creator economy5.