YouTube CEO Neal Mohan views the platform's enduring strength not through the lens of media mergers or streaming competition, but through its relentless focus on the creative community, a perspective highlighted during a conversation on the TIME channel. As YouTube celebrates its 20th anniversary, Mohan confirms that the term "creator" or "creative person" is heard "a hundred times a day in every single one of our meetings". Their core mission is to build the stage where "amazing creators and programmers" perform every day, using technology to connect those creative individuals with their global audiences.
This creator-centric approach defines YouTube’s cultural dominance. Mohan argues that the "magic of YouTube" is its open platform where two billion-plus people connect daily with content ranging from sports and music to movies and their favorite creators. This open structure ensures that if someone has an idea, they can share it, and "nobody gets to tell you that you don't look the right way you're the wrong gender you're from the wrong part of the world". This accessibility makes YouTube the place where the "cultural zeitgeist is set every single day," positioning it at the "cutting edge of culture" for young people globally. The creative tools available on the platform are profound, allowing for stories to be told in formats ranging from a "15-second short" to a "15-hour live stream," encompassing the "long form video" that was once considered short form 20 years ago.
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Mohan maintains that external success for creators does not bother him because they view YouTube as their "home". Any success off-platform—whether securing a streaming deal, selling merchandise like shoes, or launching chocolates—is "derived from their success on YouTube". These creators are recognized as "incredible entrepreneurs" who understand that the success of ventures like "Beast Games would not exist without Mr beast on YouTube".
The platform’s growing cultural sway is evidenced by its shift in consumption habits; today, over 50% of YouTube consumption in the U.S. occurs on television screens. While there may have been "question marks" or "raised eyebrows" in Hollywood regarding user-generated content (UGC) ten years ago, Mohan asserts that the issue "never comes up anymore". He notes that some of the largest creators on the platform are, in fact, media company partners who operate dozens, if not hundreds, of channels to leverage the "enormous amount of the fandom" around their intellectual property (IP).
Mohan also addressed YouTube's role in public discourse and governance, confirming that the platform works with administrations globally, including the Biden and Trump administrations. He clarified that YouTube is an important part of the civic and public discourse that happens worldwide. The core responsibility remains upholding YouTube as an open platform for freedom of expression. This means providing a space for "millions and millions of different opinions and voices," including those that many may disagree with. Regarding the $20 million contribution to a public trust to settle a lawsuit with former President Donald Trump, Mohan stated the decision was made to "put it behind us" and eliminate distractions, allowing the company to focus on its mission "to give everyone a voice and show them the world".
Finally, when asked by TIME who the most powerful creator on YouTube is, Mohan eschewed naming established stars. Instead, he suggested the most powerful creator is the one "getting started today," because that new creator has "infinite possibilities" and the potential to invent something entirely new, potentially achieving 50 million subscribers within a year. He likens his own role not to a typical CEO, but to the "mayor of a town called YouTube," serving both the massively successful creators and the one who just hit the upload button for the very first time.
