The initiative is YouTube’s latest move to use AI to maximize its advertising potential.
YouTube will begin serving ads immediately after the “most watched” moments of its videos, the latest in a series of new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools from its parent company.
In a blog post Wednesday, the company said the platform will use Google’s Gemini AI model to identify the point in videos where “viewers are most engaged” and allow brands to place ads there.
YouTube gave an example: A video of a marriage proposal on a snowy mountain could be strategically interrupted with an ad right after the groom pops the question.
The new tool is called “Peak Points,” YouTube said in announcing the feature at an event Wednesday celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The company’s advertising revenue reached about $8.9 in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 10 percent compared to last year.
This does not include YouTube’s additional revenues through subscriptions.
