YouTube might soon let users prioritize content they want to see over algorithm-driven recommendations.

Watching a few Marvel videos may cause YouTube's algorithm to assume you are a huge fan, resulting in your homepage being flooded with related content. Acknowledging that its algorithm sometimes struggles to accurately determine viewing preferences, YouTube is testing an AI chatbot that allows users to specify the content they want to see.

The test feature, called "Your custom feed," enables users to tailor their homepage recommendations. Selected users will see the "Your Custom Feed" option on their homepage. Clicking this option allows users to update their current recommendations by entering a simple request, giving them more control over suggested content. YouTube encourages users who have access to test the feature and provide feedback.

Accessing the AI chatbot involves tapping the "Your Custom Feed" button beside the "Home" button on the main YouTube page. Users can then enter a prompt describing their desired video content, such as "I want to see more WWE videos." This resets the user's homepage to feature more WWE content.

Because the feature is in the experimental stage, not all users will have the "Your Custom Feed" option. The option has not appeared on any of the author's four YouTube accounts.

AI is becoming a tool for customizing feeds.

YouTube is not the only platform using AI to help users customize their feeds. X's owner, Elon Musk, recently stated that users will soon be able to adjust their X feed using Grok, the platform's built-in AI chatbot.

Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, shared last month that the platform is testing a feature to train its algorithm by adding or removing topics of interest. Whether through chatbots or manual selection, platforms are working to give users greater control over the content they see, rather than relying on algorithms.

It is worth considering how major companies like Google are incorporating AI tools into their products. While a YouTube AI chatbot may help users manage their feeds, Google will likely use the data shared with the chatbot to train its models, like Gemini. Users may become sources for training Google's AI systems without realizing it.

Some users may not want AI involvement in their YouTube feed. If the feature is released, Google should provide an option to disable it for users who do not want AI to learn their content preferences.

YouTube has been making several changes.

While the AI-based customization feature is experimental, YouTube has taken steps to give users more control. In recent years, YouTube has been testing a "Customize Your Feed" option that prompts users to select the types of videos they prefer, helping the algorithm understand their interests.

YouTube also asks users whether they like specific posts or videos to determine whether to show similar content. Last year, YouTube Premium subscribers briefly had the option to customize their feed by color, but it was later removed.

YouTube recently announced a button to remove pop-ups like "subscribe to the channel" or "watch another video" that appear at the end of videos, suggesting that YouTube aims to refine the user experience.