YouTube reveals creators have been paid $100B in 4 years thanks to ads

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Since 2021, YouTube has paid over $100 billion to creators, artists, and media companies through the ads shown on its platform.

In a recent blog post, YouTube’s Chief Product Officer, Johanna Voolich, explained that the platform was founded twenty years ago with the goal of giving everyone a chance to share their creations with the world. She noted that creators have since had a huge impact on culture and entertainment, exceeding all expectations.

Voolich explained that YouTube offers a platform for anyone – from individuals and artists to studios and brands – to create a business. Since 2021, YouTube has paid out over $100 billion to creators worldwide.

A rise in people watching on connected TVs has contributed to this growth. YouTube reported that 45% more channels are now earning over $100,000 annually from viewers watching on TV screens compared to last year.

YouTube’s AI-powered tools take center stage

In addition to reaching a major payout goal, YouTube announced new features powered by artificial intelligence. It’s now testing a tool called Veo 3 Fast, developed by Google DeepMind, that creates short, shareable videos from longer livestreams by automatically identifying and editing the best moments.

YouTube announced new features designed to help creators identify deepfakes – realistic but fake videos – of themselves. This move emphasizes YouTube’s commitment to safety as AI technology advances and creates increasingly convincing fake content.

The fact that YouTube has paid out $100 billion to creators highlights its leading role in the online video world, but the company has also received criticism for its advertising practices.

Okay, so YouTube’s been getting a bit more aggressive with ads lately. First, in 2024 they started showing ads when you pause a video – super annoying, right? But it gets worse. They’ve announced that in 2025, they’re planning to use AI to figure out *exactly* when we’re really into a video, and that’s when they’ll hit us with ads. Apparently, they’re trying to make them harder to skip too, which just feels… well, frustrating as a gamer who just wants to enjoy content.

YouTube has updated its subscription plans: Premium now costs more, but they’ve also introduced a more affordable option called Premium Lite, which lets you watch videos without ads but doesn’t include all the features of the full Premium plan.

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2025-09-16 22:00