YouTube brings AI to shopping in India with new tools for viewers, creaters

YouTube is bringing more AI into shopping on its platform as it expands its affiliate programme in India with Amazon, AJIO, Meesho, Snapdeal and Tata CLiQ, the video platform said on Thursday.

The company is also rolling out new AI tools that let viewers ask questions about products while watching videos and help creators respond to brand briefs and pitch campaigns.

The biggest consumer-facing change is an expanded Ask YouTube feature where viewers can ask questions about a product directly on the video's watch page, including questions about specifications, and continue the conversation with follow-up questions. The feature can also be used through voice commands while watching YouTube on TV, the company said.


For creators, YouTube is bringing generative AI into YouTube Studio through Ask Studio for Brand Partnerships, which is expected to be rolled out soon. The tool is said to be designed to help creators respond to brand briefs and pitch campaigns faster.

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More than 450 million logged-in users in India search for shopping-related content on YouTube, while shopping-related watch time in the country has grown 55% year-on-year, YouTube said, citing its internal data.

With the latest additions, Amazon, AJIO, Meesho, Snapdeal and Tata CLiQ will join existing partners including Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa, Purplle, Shopsy and Tira.

YouTube said more than 50% of eligible Indian creators are now enrolled in its Shopping affiliate programme, a 200% increase from a year earlier. Creators have tagged products in more than 19 million videos.

The company said average creator payouts in India grew more than 160% between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026.

YouTube is also making its affiliate system more useful for creators with audiences outside India. Product tags can now adapt to local deals from regional retailers and show prices in the viewer's local currency, allowing Indian creators to earn commissions from international audiences.

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The platform is also testing tools that allow creators to insert dynamic brand segments into multiple long-form videos and target them by region. An Exclusive Affiliate Campaigns feature, which will allow brands to invite creators into campaigns with higher commissions and bonuses, is expected to roll out in India next year.

"We’ve crossed an incredible milestone where trusted creator voices, a comprehensive retail catalog, and AI meet at a massive scale," Gunjan Soni, managing director, India, YouTube, said.

At its Made on YouTube event in New York city, YouTube announced that it will also be adding a Gemini-powered assistant in Shorts.

It is also said to be testing opt-in AI comment moderation that can adapt to creators' preferences, and can combine voice and facial detection in its likeness-protection tools.