What made YouTube the undisputed king of video?
That is a bold title I grant you. However, when we look at the numbers, YouTube is the dominant force. Not only is it the leader in user generated content, we are seeing it dominate the streaming wars.
Here is the latest numbers from The Gauge by Nielson.
YouTube is 50% higher than even Netflix. Think about that for a second. Then, to add to the domination, this only includes viewing through television. It does not include that done on mobile or tablets.
It is safe to say that YouTube probably commands near 20% of all video consumed.
Then why it is prime for replacement?
That is what we will dig into.
It Is An Ideal Time For A YouTube Replacement
Neil Mohan was named CEO for YouTube a couple years ago. Since that time, he is moving the entity in a direction that seems to be counter to what made it a success.
It does not take too much searching on YouTube to find influencers and content creators complaining about the compensation. Google did a smart thing in sharing the advertising revenue with the creators. This incentivized them to upload more while also seeking to get people to follow them.
All of this meant more money for Google along with solidifying their network effects.
Mohan is turning this around. Short, one of the most popular forms of video, is now paying very little to the content creator. The platform is naturally pushing them since it profits more than on long form.
Then there is Mohan. He seems to be star struck by Hollywood. He is coddling up to that dying industry in a way that seems hard to figure out.
Outside stroking his ego, there is little reason to do this.
Yet that is what is taking place. He is trying to bring YouTube into the bright lights of Hollywood, at a time when it is dying. This is a move that could backfire as the algorithms are now pushing the mainstream channels.
AI, Content Creators, And A Replacement
Could a replacement be on the way?
This is an easy concept to discuss but difficult to pull off. Video is expensive. Google has a lot of money, supplemented by continual revenue flows. To adequately replace YouTube, a player with deep pockets must step up.
Many would like to think something like Rumble could be the solution. While this has done well, it is still only in the 50 million user range. YouTube is into multi-billions. It is unlikely the upload of even 25 million content creators could be handled by the platform.
Then we have Musk and Zuckerberg. These are obviously two prime candidates since they have the money to compete. The question if whether they will even look at it.
Both allow video uploads. However, neither operate as well as YouTube in terms of the focus. Video is integrated into the larger platform. It is simply another media type.
Then we have the question of AI. This is where YouTube is likely to see an issue. My view is that AI will end up comprising most of the video content that is generated. YouTube will likely allow it, while pushing the mainstream (Hollywood) stuff. The problem is that this can be housed anywhere.
At the same time, human generated content will become a niche. Here is where newer platforms could end up having an impact. By catering to humans, there might be a fracturing of the eyeballs. People could end up seeking out human content, bypassing YouTube altogether.
Obviously, we are a long way from this reality. YouTube only appears to be getting stronger. There are, however, some cracks forming in the foundation. Perhaps if something started to offer a viable alternative, it could gain some traction.
Video is still a difficult market to operate in. The costs, albeit declining, still are much greater than text or audio.
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I agree that YouTube still leads the game, but things are definitely changing. With so many creators feeling unhappy and AI content growing fast, it really feels like the right time for a new platform to step in and shake things up.
I think Odysee is the best platform. Sure, it still has bugs here and there, but the censorship is not there.
As for money... I think We would best obsolete that tool. it ensures poverty for Most, and promotes psychopaths to the top. And it is archaic.
Obsoleting Money (article): https://peakd.com/informationwar/@amaterasusolar/obsoleting-money
This is not an easy fight to pick up anyway. I have seen your idea of AI generated videos spiking up things. It without doubt has such potentials but it needs time to settle in structures. And talking of structures, aren't they (YouTube) building also? Nevertheless, I still get the point, AI will be cheap to generate meaning new competitors will rise.
For me personally, I believe YouTube will still be around for years to come though