YouTube CEO Neal Mohan has explained how they’re trying to make YouTube “perfect” for creators, despite backlash over recent changes.
Like every social media platform out there, YouTube has had to evolve with the times. The main function of the video-sharing platform is to, well, upload videos, but it’s no longer just about long-form uploads.
YouTube Shorts have taken over a lot of users’ watch history, and AI has increasingly played a part in those short clips. That, alongside AI moderation tools, has prompted a fair bit of backlash towards the platform and its CEO, Neal Mohan.
At the start of 2026, Mohan announced that they plan to tackle “AI slop” with a number of changes, putting the focus back on real creators.
Neal Mohan says YouTube is trying to be “perfect”
The YouTube CEO expanded on that in an interview with CNBC’s Leaders Playbook series, saying they’re constantly working to make the platform “perfect.”
“Our job is to really build the stage, and what I mean by that metaphor is, it’s got to be the best stage,” Mohan said. “The best technology, the best experience. It’s got to have the best sort of place for viewers to sit, the seats, all that has to be perfect, the sound.
“But, the people that are on the stage are our creators.”
As noted, there has been plenty of criticism towards Mohan and YouTube’s continued use of AI in particular. MoistCr1TiKaL called Mohan “delusional” for being so-pro AI.
“We haven’t seen anything positive on YouTube as a result of these AI tools that Neal speaks so highly of. They’re a f**king scourge right now,” he said back in December after a wave of accounts were banned.
“I imagine Neal would have no problem stepping down and letting AI run YouTube at some point, am I right, Neal? It is a problem. In his interview, where all of this stems from, it really highlights just how delusional this company is under the leadership of Neal.”
