YouTube is entering a new phase under CEO Neal Mohan, who has initiated a comprehensive reorganization aimed at integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the platform’s future. As part of this shift, the company is offering voluntary exit packages to select employees in the U.S., marking YouTube’s first significant product division overhaul in ten years. In a message to staff, Mohan stated that the restructuring is intended to align YouTube’s teams more closely with its expanding AI ambitions. Although the company assured that no jobs are being eliminated, the availability of buyout options indicates that YouTube is preparing to optimize its workforce for a future where AI is central to content creation, recommendations, and user experiences.
A company spokesperson conveyed to CNBC, “Looking to the future, the next frontier for YouTube is AI.” This move aligns with the broader AI initiative by parent company Google, led by CEO Sundar Pichai, who has urged teams to enhance productivity using AI tools. The new organizational structure will divide YouTube’s product organization into three key verticals — Viewer Products, Creator & Community Products, and Subscription Products — all reporting directly to Mohan. The reorganization aims to improve focus, hasten decision-making, and ensure significant investments in each aspect of the platform’s ecosystem.
Johanna Voolich, YouTube’s Chief Product Officer, will head the Viewer Products team, which manages the main YouTube app, Search and Discovery, YouTube Kids, Learning, Living Room experiences, and Trust and Safety. Mohan highlighted that the team’s goal is to “accelerate growth in the Living Room and continue to build on YouTube’s foundation of responsibility.” The Subscriptions team, under Christian Oestlien, will oversee YouTube Music and Premium, YouTube TV, Primetime Channels, Podcasts, and Commerce — services that have become vital revenue sources. YouTube currently has over 125 million paying subscribers across its Premium and YouTube TV services. Meanwhile, the Creator & Community Products division will aim to enhance creation tools, foster community engagement, and develop YouTube’s generative AI capabilities for creators.
Although a permanent leader has yet to be appointed, Voolich will temporarily manage this division. Reflecting on YouTube’s 20-year evolution, Mohan remarked that the platform has transformed from a basic video-sharing service into a global streaming leader. He noted, “YouTube has paid over $100 billion to creators and partners and has maintained its position as the number-one streamer in the U.S. for over two years.” He added, “As we look forward, AI has the potential to revolutionize every aspect of the platform. We must ensure our teams are organized to capitalize on this opportunity.” The voluntary exit program will be accessible to eligible U.S. employees within Mohan’s direct-reporting teams, but specific severance package details remain undisclosed.
Across the tech sector, firms such as Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft are similarly reconfiguring their workforce strategies to focus on AI development. Amazon, for example, recently announced job cuts affecting 14,000 positions as part of its AI-driven restructuring. Although YouTube emphasizes that layoffs are not part of its current strategy, the underlying message is clear — the platform is gearing up for an AI-centric future. Mohan concluded his memo optimistically, expressing excitement about YouTube’s future and acknowledging that some long-serving employees might choose to leave as this new chapter unfolds. The restructuring will officially commence on November 5.