YouTube has announced a set of new podcast features for its Premium subscribers, rolling out on Thursday. These include an AI-driven recommendation tool, an “Auto speed” playback setting, and a dedicated on-the-go listening mode. This move highlights YouTube’s continued push to capture podcast audiences, especially as streaming competitor Netflix invests heavily in video podcasts. By emphasizing personalized discovery and hands-free listening, the platform also seems to be targeting users who typically consume podcasts on audio-first apps like Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

The Google-owned platform already offers an “Ask Music” feature, which allows Premium users to generate custom radio stations and playlists. Now, it will provide podcast recommendations based on genres, current mood, or shows users already enjoy. The new “Auto speed” feature aims to improve listening efficiency by intelligently adjusting playback speed during slower speech or information-heavy segments, creating a smoother experience without losing comprehension. While manual speed adjustment is already available, it can be inconsistent when hosts speak at different speeds or change their tone. This new feature adapts to those variations throughout the conversation.

The on-the-go mode gives Premium users listener-friendly controls designed for activities like running, commuting, or multitasking. It offers quick controls for skipping forward or backward, or jumping to the next episode. YouTube states that this feature makes it easier to maximize background playback. Auto speed and on-the-go mode are now available for Premium users on Android, with iOS support coming in the next few months. YouTube reports that Premium users watched over 800 million hours of podcasts in April 2026, and YouTube Podcasts has more than 1 billion monthly active users. With these new features, the company aims to retain and grow these numbers.