YouTube Livestream Updates: New Gift Combos & AI Tools for EU Creators

Enhancing Vertical Live Streams and Expanding AI Tools

YouTube continues to refine its monetization and discovery features, focusing on increasing viewer engagement during live broadcasts and expanding AI-driven creative tools to more regions. The latest updates introduce “combo” options for vertical live stream gifts, broaden the reach of the YouTube Hype system, and bring AI inspiration tools to creators in Europe.

New Combo Options for Vertical Live Stream Gifts

For creators utilizing vertical live streaming, YouTube is introducing an upgrade to the gifting system. These gifts are purchased using YouTube Jewels, the platform’s dedicated digital currency for this format.

How Gift Combos Work

The new update allows viewers to “combo” their gifts. This means that if a viewer purchases the same gift multiple times in succession, a combo counter will appear. This counter is visible to everyone watching the stream, including the creator, providing a clear visual indicator of the level of support being given by a specific user.

Crucially, these combos are tied to the individual. Only the original gifter who started the sequence can maintain or increase the combo count; other viewers cannot “jump in” to add to someone else’s existing streak.

Market Availability and Context

Currently, this feature—and the use of YouTube Jewels—is only available in the United States. While this brings YouTube closer to the gifting mechanics seen on other streaming platforms, creators outside the US will have to wait for further expansion. For those in the US, this update adds a layer of gamification to vertical streams, potentially increasing the incentive for viewers to send multiple gifts to climb the visibility ladder during a live session.

Expanding Access to YouTube Hype

YouTube Hype is designed as a discovery and support mechanism. Unlike traditional monetization, Hype allows viewers to show their support for a creator or a specific video through a “hype” action. This system aggregates these actions to place creators on regional or global leaderboards, potentially exposing them to new audiences.

New Subscriber Thresholds

YouTube is expanding access to this feature in the three markets where it is currently active: Brazil, Turkey, and Taiwan. Previously more limited, YouTube Hype will now be available to all channels within these regions that have between 500 and 500,000 subscribers. This shift targets a wide range of small-to-mid-sized creators, giving them a free tool to boost their visibility via the leaderboard system.

Paid Hype Experiments

While YouTube Hype is primarily a free feature—granting viewers three free hypes per week—YouTube is currently testing a new monetization angle in Brazil. In this market, an experiment is underway that allows users to purchase additional hypes once they have exhausted their weekly free allowance.

At this time, there is no confirmed timeline for when YouTube Hype will be rolled out globally beyond the current three supported countries.

AI-Powered Inspiration Tools Arrive in Europe

One of the most anticipated updates for creators in the EU, UK, and Switzerland is the expansion of the AI features within the YouTube Inspiration tab.

Boosting the Creative Process

The Inspiration tab leverages AI to help creators overcome “blank page syndrome” by providing data-driven suggestions and creative prompts. For creators in these newly supported regions, the tool is intended to assist with several critical stages of video production:

• Writing Hooks: Developing compelling openings to increase viewer retention.
• Video Structures: Planning the flow and organization of a video to keep the audience engaged.

Rollout Timeline

Creators in the EU, UK, and Switzerland should expect to see these features appearing in their dashboard over the next four weeks. YouTube has planned for the rollout to be completed by mid-May. Once accessible, creators can use these tools within YouTube Studio to refine their content strategy based on AI-generated insights.

Original transcript

Transcript

Gifts on vertical live streams purchased with YouTube’s digital currency, Jewels, are getting a small upgrade. It is now possible to combo gifts by purchasing the same gift multiple times, and the combo counter will be displayed to everyone, including the streamer. However, only the original gifter can maintain or increase the combo. YouTube Jewels is currently only available in the United States, but we will keep you updated once it expands to other markets. I think this is a positive update.

It’s a feature already implemented on other platforms, so it’s good to see YouTube catching up with vertical live streams. As you know, I’m not the biggest fan of the gifting culture surrounding these streams, but if you are in the US and choose to use it, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

Moving on to YouTube Hype, a feature we haven’t discussed in a while. To recap, YouTube Hype is a free feature where viewers can show their support for a creator or video by ’hype’ing it. This puts creators on a global or regional leaderboard. We still don’t have specific numbers on how this system works. If you’re in one of the three supported countries—Brazil, Turkey, or Taiwan—please share your experiences in the comments.

The update here is that all channels between 500 and 500,000 subscribers in these markets will now have access to YouTube Hype. Additionally, there’s an ongoing experiment in Brazil where you can purchase extra hypes after using up your three free ones per week. There’s no timeline yet for a global rollout of YouTube Hype, but be sure to subscribe to stay informed.

Lastly, the AI features of the YouTube Inspiration tab are finally being made available in the EU, UK, and Switzerland. If you’re in one of these regions, you can expect to see the new inspiration tab or its features within the next four weeks, with a planned rollout by mid-May. We’ll be sure to explore these new features once they’re accessible, testing out things like writing hooks and video structures.

That’s all for today. Subscribe for more YouTube updates every Saturday. Take care, bye-bye!

Confused about YouTube's latest updates? From vertical stream gifts to AI inspiration tools, we've got you covered. Learn more about how these changes affect your channel and how to make the most of them on our Creator Services, or contact our expert below.