YouTube is the new TV

US viewers are now watching more than 1 billion hours of YouTube content on their TVs each day, making television the No.1 device for the app.

According to CEO Neal Mohan, the data suggests that TV viewership has surpassed desktop and mobile usage in America.

Founded in 2005 and acquired by Google for $1.65 billion in 2006, YouTube has evolved significantly.

Mohan highlighted how YouTubers are reshaping Hollywood, with many building their own studios and producing feature-length content. From Hot Ones to Dude Perfect, the platform’s influence continues to grow.

Artificial intelligence is also at the forefront, powering auto-dubbing, detecting deepfakes and enhancing content moderation.

Mohan claims YouTube is also the most-used podcast platform, surpassing Spotify and Apple Podcasts in the US, per Edison Podcast Metrics. He noted that the video app’s political and live event coverage is surging and remains “the epicenter of culture.”

In December 2024, YouTube captured 11.1% of US TV viewing time, surpassing Netflix (8.5%), Prime Video (4.0%), Hulu (2.5%), and Disney+ (2.1%), as per Nielsen.