When Neal Mohan stepped onto the main stage at Cannes Lions 2025, it wasn’t just a celebration of YouTube’s 20-year journey—it was a window into the next frontier of creativity. In a world where artificial intelligence, multi-format storytelling, and borderless content ecosystems dominate, Mohan laid out a bold vision for the future that’s already unfolding.
This wasn’t about nostalgia. It was about what’s next—and how creators, brands, and platforms can evolve in tandem.
In his keynote, Mohan reflected on how YouTube began as a platform for raw, authentic storytelling, often filmed in dorm rooms and bedrooms, and how it’s grown into a dynamic ecosystem of global creators, billion-view content, and full-blown media enterprises.
But what stood out wasn’t just the scale—it was the democratization of creativity. YouTube, Mohan said, has empowered anyone with a camera and a story to become a cultural force. “Creativity has never been more accessible,” he noted. “We’ve gone from watching videos online to building entire creative industries online.”
This democratization is not a phase—it’s a permanent shift. And it’s being supercharged by something else: AI.
One of the most anticipated parts of Mohan’s speech was his take on artificial intelligence—particularly YouTube’s evolving suite of AI tools. He was clear: AI is not here to replace human imagination; it’s here to enhance it.
With tools like Dream Screen (AI-generated video backdrops) and Dream Track (AI-assisted audio for Shorts), YouTube is embedding AI into the creative process itself—offering creators more speed, power, and flexibility without sacrificing originality.
Rather than replacing storytellers, YouTube’s approach empowers them. “We believe AI should be a co-pilot, not the pilot,” Mohan emphasized.
One key insight from Mohan’s keynote is that today’s audiences no longer consume content in a single way—and creators shouldn’t produce it in a single format. Viewers are flipping between long-form videos on their TVs, quick Shorts on their phones, and podcasts during their commutes.
Mohan revealed that in the U.S., more YouTube watch time now happens on TV than on mobile—a statistic that surprised many in the audience. At the same time, YouTube Shorts continues to grow at staggering rates, with over 70 billion daily views globally.
This convergence of formats isn’t cannibalization—it’s expansion. Creators are now encouraged to think like multimedia producers, tailoring stories for the big screen, the small screen, and everything in between.
A major theme at Cannes this year was global impact—and YouTube’s role in shaping it. Mohan spotlighted creators from India, Nigeria, Brazil, and beyond, illustrating how hyperlocal voices are reaching global audiences through the power of the platform.
In India alone, YouTube creators generated more than 45 billion watch hours from global viewers over the past year. With tools like auto-translation and dubbing built directly into YouTube Studio, a creator in Delhi can now effortlessly speak to someone in São Paulo.
As Mohan put it, “We’re no longer just exporting content—we’re exporting culture.” The message was clear: the future of media is multilingual, multicultural, and massively scalable.
Of course, none of this would be sustainable without economics. And YouTube’s economic engine is running strong.
Over the past three years, the platform has paid over $70 billion to creators, artists, and media companies. In countries like India, YouTube is investing directly into the creative economy—most recently announcing a ₹850 crore (approx. $100 million) commitment to support regional creators.
Mohan framed this as not just corporate responsibility, but a strategic imperative: “When creators succeed, the platform succeeds.”
In closing his Cannes Lions address, Mohan reminded the audience that while technology changes fast, the core of creativity remains deeply human.
“Whether you’re using AI, Shorts, livestreams, or long-form video, what matters most is the connection you create,” he said. “We’re building tools, not taking the stage. You are.”
It was a fitting conclusion to a talk that wasn’t just about YouTube—it was about where the entire creative industry is headed.
Neal Mohan’s 2025 Cannes keynote wasn’t just a look back at 20 years of YouTube—it was a call to action. It asked creators, marketers, and media leaders to reimagine creativity through a new lens: one that blends AI with authenticity, scale with story, and data with human emotion.
In an era where content can be global, instant, and endlessly adaptive, the tools are changing—but the power of creativity remains in human hands.
And if YouTube’s evolution tells us anything, it’s this: the future of storytelling isn’t in the hands of a few. It’s in the hands of everyone bold enough to create.
