Take full control of your YouTube feed
YouTube’s home feed is typically curated by an algorithm that analyzes your viewing history, likes and dislikes, and channel subscriptions to predict and suggest videos you might enjoy. While this algorithm-driven approach helps personalize the experience, it often leads to narrow content bubbles. For example, watching a few Marvel videos might mistakenly label you as a Marvel superfan, flooding your homepage with related content and limiting variety.
Recognizing this limitation, YouTube is experimenting with a new AI chatbot feature called "Your Custom Feed." This addition empowers users to take direct control over the type of content they want to see on their home feed. If included in the trial, users will notice a new chip labeled "Your Custom Feed" next to the traditional Home button on YouTube’s main page. Clicking this chip allows you to enter simple prompts describing your content preferences, such as "I want to see more WWE videos," which will reset and tailor your home feed accordingly.
Since this feature is still experimental, it’s not yet widely available. Some users, including the author across multiple YouTube accounts (including Premium), have yet to see the option appear.
AI customization trends spreading across platforms
YouTube isn’t the only platform embracing AI for personalized content control. On X, Elon Musk recently announced that the built-in AI chatbot Grok will let users modify their feeds through natural language commands. Similarly, Instagram’s head Adam Mosseri revealed tests allowing users to train the algorithm by adding or removing topics. Whether through chatbots or manual topic selections, these platforms are moving toward giving users more direct influence over their content consumption instead of leaving it solely to algorithms.
However, this integration of AI brings trade-offs. While AI chatbots offer more precise control of your feed, the data you provide will likely be used by companies, such as Google, to improve and train larger AI models like Gemini. This means your interactions may contribute to these AI systems without explicit realization. It’s also important to consider that not everyone wants AI analyzing their watch patterns. Ideally, Google should provide an option to entirely disable AI involvement for those uncomfortable with it.
Have your say on AI in your feed
Current poll results:
- Only if it genuinely helps personalize my feed: 28.57%
- No, I don’t want AI analyzing my YouTube watching habits: 71.43%
Total votes: 7
YouTube’s evolving efforts to improve user experience
Even before launching the AI-powered custom feed, YouTube has been progressively giving users more tools to shape what they see. Prompts to "Customize Your Feed" occasionally appear, inviting you to select preferred video types, helping the algorithm understand your tastes better. YouTube also frequently asks if you like specific videos to fine-tune suggestions.
Last year, YouTube Premium subscribers had an experimental option to customize feeds based on color themes, although that feature was short-lived and unavailable thereafter. More recently, YouTube announced a new button to remove intrusive end-of-video pop-ups such as “subscribe” or “watch another video,” all pointing toward ongoing efforts to refine the viewing experience.
