YouTube announced on May 28, 2026, that it is rolling out several new podcast features for Premium subscribers, including an AI-powered recommendation tool, an “Auto speed” playback setting, and a new on-the-go listening mode.
The AI recommendation feature builds on YouTube’s existing “Ask Music” tool, which already allows Premium users to generate personalized radio stations and playlists. The expanded capability lets users request podcast suggestions based on genres, their current mood, or shows they already follow.
The new Auto speed setting adjusts playback rate dynamically during slower speech or information-dense segments, rather than applying a fixed speed across an entire episode. YouTube says this is intended to address inconsistencies that arise when hosts change their speaking pace or tone throughout a conversation.
The on-the-go mode provides quick controls — such as skipping forward or backward and jumping to the next episode — aimed at listeners who are running, commuting, or multitasking. YouTube describes the feature as designed to improve the background playback experience.
Auto speed and on-the-go mode are currently available to Premium users on Android, with an iOS rollout expected in the coming months.
YouTube says the updates are part of its broader effort to compete for podcast audiences, citing Netflix’s growing investment in video podcasts and the popularity of audio-first platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. The Google-owned platform reports that Premium users watched over 800 million hours of podcasts in April 2026, and that YouTube Podcasts has surpassed 1 billion monthly active users. The new features suggest the company is looking to retain existing listeners while attracting users from competing platforms.
Source: TechCrunch