- By Alex David
- Tue, 11 Nov 2025 06:30 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The video platform is unveiling its new Ask button, which will use Google’s Gemini AI to improve the way YouTube users engage with videos. The feature makes it possible for audiences to ask questions related to the video they’re watching and receive summaries, clarifications or even interactive quizzes — effectively taking passive viewing and turning it into a more engaging, conversational experience.
Available to a few users, the Ask button is one of YouTube's latest and emerging attempts to place AI tools directly in its platform and make content discovery and learning more intuitive.
YouTube’s AI-Powered ‘Ask’ Button
This new “Ask” button (a Gemini icon, in keeping with the fact that it was developed by the Notes team) sits under the video player—between “Share” and “Download”. The button is compatible with iPhone, Android, and Windows mobile devices, which means it’s available to a broad range of users.
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When users tap the button, a pop-up chat window will open within which they can either type in their questions freestyle or select from themed prompts offered by Gemini AI. The feature draws on Google’s large language models (LLMs) to process the video, returning short, contextually relevant responses.
For instance:
- When you’re at home and looking at a review for a smartphone on YouTube, the site may serve prompts like “Is it durable?” or “What makes it powerful?”
- During a lecture in an educational course, users could ask, “Summarise this section” or “Explain this concept to me in layman’s terms.”
The idea is to make it easy for people watching the video to understand key points without having to scrub through a long discussion video or navigate between timestamps.
Key Features of the ‘Ask’ Button
Here’s what the new feature can do:
- Summarise videos: Get quick overviews of long or complex content.
- Explain key points: Understand technical or difficult concepts more easily.
- Recommend related content: Find videos on similar or deeper topics.
- Interactive Q&A: Ask follow-up questions without leaving the video.
- Quiz-style prompts: Engage with certain educational content through mini quizzes.
The chat interface even has a disclaimer, reminding users that AI-generated responses are not always 100% correct and should be confirmed via other trustworthy sources ― a best practice in LLM-based tools.
Availability and Access
The Ask feature is accessible to YouTube Premium and non-Premium users in certain areas, according to YouTube’s Help page. For now, it’s just being tested with users 18 and older in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and India.
For now, the feature is English only, but Google says they may eventually add other supported languages.
A Step Toward Smarter Viewing
The Ask button is another move in the YouTube’s efforts to fuse AI with user experience, making it easier and faster than ever for viewers to improve their life with each video. YouTube might not just be a video sharing site, with Gemini’s implements in conversational skills, it could easily evolve into an AI-assisted learning platform.
Other Recent YouTube Updates
YouTube has had a string of AI and safety-related updates this last few months. Among them:
- A likeness detection tool to help creators protect their identity and content from misuse.
- A dedicated section for teenagers focusing on mental health and well-being.
- New age restrictions for game content containing graphic violence, set to take effect from November 17.
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Conclusion
Feature name: “Ask” Button
Powered by: Gemini AI (LLMs)
Functions: Summaries, explanations, related content suggestions, and quizzes
Available on: Android, iOS, and Windows
Regions: US, Canada, New Zealand, and India
Eligibility: Users 18+ (English only)
With this roll out, YouTube is growing beyond a passive video-viewing site into a smart, interactive learning and creation resource. Tthe Ask button is the next step in AI-powered engagement — where you don’t just watch videos, but talk to them.
