YouTube rolled out a batch of updates that touch how viewers discover videos, how creators find sponsorships, and how fans support streamers. The changes include AI-powered custom feeds moving into the navigation bar, personalized brand deal recommendations inside YouTube Studio, and the expansion of Hype with Jewels to nine new markets.
The custom feed update is the most visible change for regular users.
YouTube first introduced AI custom feeds earlier in 2026. The feature lets users describe what they want to watch using conversational prompts. Instead of relying entirely on the algorithm’s guesses, viewers can tell YouTube’s AI system something specific. Then the system generates a feed tailored to that request. Previously, these custom feeds lived deeper inside the app. Now YouTube is promoting them to the top navigation bar, right alongside subscriptions and the standard home feed.
This placement replaces the old non-custom topic tabs that previously sat at the top. As a result, users will encounter AI-generated feeds as a primary discovery option rather than an optional experiment buried in menus. The feature is currently available to US users only.
For creators, YouTube made two notable changes inside Studio.
First, the platform merged its AI-powered Ask Studio tool with YouTube Help into a single chat interface. Previously, creators had to switch between separate windows to get AI guidance about their channel and human support for technical issues. Now both live in one place. YouTube’s Head of Editorial Rene Ritchie confirmed that creators can handle channel strategy questions and support tickets without jumping between tools.
Second, YouTube started testing personalized product recommendations for affiliate creators. The new feature surfaces brand partnership opportunities directly inside the Studio shopping hub. These recommendations draw on the creator’s past content, audience engagement patterns, and trending products in their niche. Each suggestion displays an estimated commission rate. This gives creators a clearer picture of potential earnings before pursuing a deal.
The third major update expands Hype with Jewels to the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Turkey. This system combines two existing YouTube features. Jewels are an in-app currency that viewers purchase and then use to buy digital stickers during livestreams. Creators receive a cut from every sticker sent during their broadcast. Hype, meanwhile, lets viewers boost a video’s ranking to help it reach more people.
Hype with Jewels connects these two systems. Creators can spend purchased Jewels to add Hype to their own videos. Additionally, YouTube removed the previous cap on how much Hype viewers can allocate to streamers. The feature targets creators in the YouTube Partner Program with between 500 and 500,000 subscribers.
Together, these updates reflect YouTube’s broader push toward AI-driven personalization and creator monetization. The custom feed expansion signals that YouTube sees conversational AI as a core part of content discovery, not just an experiment. Meanwhile, the sponsorship recommendations and expanded Jewels program give creators more tools to earn money without leaving the platform’s ecosystem.
