YouTube pays out $100 billion to creators, artists and media firms in 4 years

New Delhi: YouTube, the Google-owned video giant, announced Tuesday that it has disbursed more than $100 billion to creators, artists, and media companies over the past four years. 

The payout was revealed at the company's annual "Made on YouTube" event in New York.

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan reported last year that the platform had already paid out $70 billion in the prior three years alone. 

Much of this revenue stems from YouTube's Partner Program, which shares 45% of ad revenue with eligible channels, alongside additional funds from programming deals and other monetisation streams like channel memberships and Super Chats.

"Twenty years ago, YouTube launched with the idea that everyone should have the opportunity to create and find a global stage," wrote Johanna Voolich, YouTube's Chief Product Officer, in a blog post accompanying the announcement. "Anyone with an idea, whether an individual, artist, studio, or brand, can become a creator here. And we help them turn their idea into a business."

A key driver behind the surge is the platform's expanding footprint on living room screens. 

Short-form content is also playing a starring role. YouTube Shorts now averages 200 billion daily views, and the company is rolling out AI-powered tools like Veo 3, Google's advanced video generation model, to help creators enhance clips with audio, transitions, and animations, all for free in select countries. Podcasts, too, are thriving, with over 100 million hours watched daily, more than 30% originating as livestreams.

New tools to empower creators

Beyond the financial headline, the "Made on YouTube" event unveiled a slate of innovations aimed at simplifying content creation and boosting discoverability. Highlights include:

- AI Likeness Detection: A new tool for all creators to protect their digital likeness from unauthorized use.

- Collaboration Features: Expanded options for co-creating videos, similar to Instagram's collab function, allowing joint posts to reach combined audiences.

- Livestream and Translation Enhancements: AI-driven real-time language translation and chat integrations to connect global viewers.

- Podcast and Shorts Expansions: Better analytics and editing tools, including AI-assisted clip generation from raw footage.

These updates come as the creator economy faces headwinds, including complaints from some YouTubers about fluctuating views and ad rates in recent months. YouTube's payout flex could serve as a counterpoint.

As advertising spending on YouTube rises alongside traditional media, the company vows to invest further in shopping integrations and subscription models.