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Can AI Save YouTube? CEO Banks on Biggest Restructuring Since 2015
YouTube has announced a major organizational restructuring in alignment with its future in artificial intelligence. Unveiling a voluntary exit plan for employees, Chief Executive Officer Neal Mohan said the company is reorienting its product teams to drive innovation on artificial intelligence. The restructuring, effective November 5, 2025, will be the most significant at YouTube in nearly a decade.
In a memo to the staff, Mohan said AI would be central to YouTube’s next phase of growth, powering everything from content discovery to creation tools. “AI will make creation easier, faster, and more powerful, empowering human creativity,” he said.
How Will YouTube’s New Three-Division Structure Work?
The restructuring has split YouTube’s product organization into three key divisions, each with a very clear leadership focus:
Viewer Products: led by Johanna Voolich, this team will be responsible for the core YouTube app, Search and Discovery, YouTube Kids, Learning, Living Room, and Trust & Safety. The goal is to enhance the viewing experience on TVs while upholding responsible content standards.
Subscriptions: This team, led by Christian Oestlien, will oversee YouTube Premium, Music, TV, and Primetime Channels-a rapidly growing business with more than 125 million paid subscribers.
Creator & Community Products: This focuses on tooling for creators, Shorts, and generative AI features. Voolich will temporarily lead this division until a permanent head is named.
What does the Voluntary Exit Plan Mean for Employees?
YouTube CEO said forced redundancies are not being compelled; instead, the company is offering severance packages to eligible employees in the US who choose to leave.
YouTube has not publicly disclosed the buyout plan it has offered to employees. According to industry analysts, this move often precedes a deeper realignment of the workforce.
The announcement comes as tech giants, including Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, also restructure around AI, signaling an industry-wide shift toward machine-led innovation.
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What does This Shift Signal for YouTube’s Future?
Neal Mohan has also revealed that YouTube’s AI roadmap is about augmenting creators’ work, not replacing them. “If you’re working on a script, AI can help ideate, build backgrounds, or enhance visuals,” he explained.
With this restructuring, YouTube is positioning itself for a future in which human creativity and AI collaborate to create a new generation of digital storytelling.
