YouTube Rolls Out New Livestream Features to Boost Creator Earnings
Key Points
- Simultaneous horizontal and vertical livestreams with a unified chat.
- AI‑generated highlights turn clips into Shorts automatically.
- Mobile reaction streams let creators broadcast real‑time responses.
- Channel‑membership controls enable public or members‑only livestreams.
- Ads beside livestreams will expand from desktop/TV to mobile devices.
- Testing phase underway; broader rollouts planned over the next months.
YouTube announced a suite of livestream upgrades at the Made on YouTube event, adding simultaneous horizontal and vertical streams, AI‑generated highlights, and mobile reaction capabilities. The changes introduce a unified chat, channel‑membership controls, and expanded ad placements to help creators grow audiences and increase revenue. Testing is underway, with broader rollouts planned in the coming months.
New Livestream Capabilities
YouTube introduced several features aimed at enhancing live streaming for creators. The platform now supports simultaneous horizontal and vertical streams, allowing viewers on both desktop and mobile to enjoy optimized video formats. A single unified chat room lets participants interact regardless of the format they are watching. Additionally, creators can react in real time to eligible livestreams on mobile devices, enabling them to broadcast reactions alongside events, keynote announcements, and other live content.
AI‑Powered Highlights and Mobile Tools
The updates include AI‑generated livestream highlights that automatically convert stream clips into Shorts, slated for release in the next few weeks. Creators will also gain a practice mode on the mobile app, letting them rehearse before launching a public livestream. The "Playables" games introduced last year will soon allow streamers to play while interacting with viewers in vertical livestreams, with an initial rollout to select creators next month.
Monetization Enhancements
Monetization is a central focus of the new features. Channel‑membership tools now let creators toggle between public and members‑only livestreams, encouraging viewers to become paying members to avoid missing exclusive content. Advertising that appears beside livestreams on desktop and TV will expand to mobile devices later this year, broadening revenue opportunities. Aaron Filner, YouTube’s senior director of product management, said the changes are “Grounded in community feedback, these features are designed to help creators get discovered, grow their channel, and increase their earnings.”
Testing and Rollout Timeline
The horizontal‑vertical streaming and unified chat are currently in testing, with plans to expand to more creators in the coming months. Mobile reaction streams will begin testing early next year before a broader launch. Overall, YouTube aims to attract more users to its livestream ecosystem, noting that more than 30 percent of daily logged‑in viewers watched live content in the second quarter.