# YouTube in AI search: week 16

Rodrigo Beckmann · First Answer · Published 2026-10-19 · HTML version: https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w16/

*Weekly index · week 16 edition.* How much each AI model cites YouTube in its answers, week by week, and where that presence is changing.

This is the week 16 edition, kept as published. [See the current edition](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/)

Week 16 · Apr 13–19, 2026

## In short

In week 16, Grok was the model that cited YouTube most, in 81.9% of answers, followed by Google AI Overviews (66.2%). Significant change from the previous week: Perplexity (+6.7 pp), Google AI Mode (−3.2 pp). Copilot had a reduced base in this comparison. Since week 1, the largest drop is ChatGPT's (−4.1 pp) and the largest rise is Grok's (+62.4 pp).

## Week 16 ranking

Share of answers citing YouTube and change from week 15.

| Model | Presence | Week change | 4-week avg. | Since W1 | Change |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Grok | 81.9% | ↓ −0.4 pp | 79.5% | ↑ +62.4 pp | Within noise |
| 2. Google AI Overviews | 66.2% | ↑ +0.7 pp | 66.6% | ↑ +15.9 pp | Within noise |
| 3. Google AI Mode | 51.7% | ↓ −3.2 pp | 54.9% | ↑ +0.8 pp | Significant |
| 4. Perplexity | 36.6% | ↑ +6.7 pp | 32.6% | ↑ +13.4 pp | Significant |
| 5. Gemini | 0.7% | ↑ +0.4 pp | 0.4% | ↑ +0.5 pp | Within noise |
| 6. ChatGPT | 0.4% | ↓ −0.3 pp | 0.4% | ↓ −4.1 pp | Within noise |
| 7. Copilot | 0.3% | ↓ −0.1 pp | 0.4% | → 0.0 pp | Reduced base |

Presence: share of the model's answers that cite youtube.com among their sources. Changes in percentage points (pp).

## Timeline

| Week | Dates | Google AI Overviews | Google AI Mode | Grok | Gemini | Perplexity | ChatGPT | Copilot |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| W1 | Dec 29, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026 | 50.3% | 50.9% | 19.5% | 0.2% | 23.3% | 4.5% | 0.3% |
| W2 | Jan 5–11, 2026 | 50.0% | 43.0% | 23.0% | 0.2% | 22.9% | 4.3% | 0.3% |
| W3 | Jan 12–18, 2026 | 48.3% | 33.4% | 18.7% | 0.2% | 20.9% | 5.1% | 0.5% |
| W4 | Jan 19–25, 2026 | 35.1% | 33.9% | 38.2% | 0.3% | 24.9% | 5.1% | 0.6% |
| W5 | Jan 26–Feb 1, 2026 | 24.6% | 35.5% | 37.3% | 0.3% | 26.2% | 5.1% | 0.5% |
| W6 | Feb 2–8, 2026 | 31.4% | 35.1% | 49.6% | 0.3% | 27.2% | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| W7 | Feb 9–15, 2026 | 51.7% | 38.9% | 54.8% | 0.2% | 29.5% | 2.0% | 0.6% |
| W8 | Feb 16–22, 2026 | 52.8% | 41.1% | 53.3% | 0.2% | 32.2% | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| W9 | Feb 23–Mar 1, 2026 | 56.5% | 43.8% | 55.0% | 0.3% | 29.3% | 4.2% | 1.1% |
| W10 | Mar 2–8, 2026 | 58.5% | 47.3% | 59.1% | 0.2% | 26.1% | 0.2% | 0.9% |
| W11 | Mar 9–15, 2026 | 67.2% | 56.1% | 66.1% | 0.2% | 27.7% | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| W12 | Mar 16–22, 2026 | 53.7% | 57.4% | 67.0% | 0.2% | 28.6% | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| W13 | Mar 23–29, 2026 | 66.3% | 55.8% | 76.0% | 0.3% | 33.3% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| W14 | Mar 30–Apr 5, 2026 | 68.4% | 57.4% | 77.8% | 0.3% | 30.7% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| W15 | Apr 6–12, 2026 | 65.5% | 54.9% | 82.3% | 0.2% | 29.9% | 0.7% | 0.4% |
| W16 | Apr 13–19, 2026 | 66.2% | 51.7% | 81.9% | 0.7% | 36.6% | 0.4% | 0.3% * |

YouTube presence by model, weeks 1 to 16 of 2026 (% of answers). * = week with a reduced base; — = no data. Source: data observed and catalogued by First Answer.

### All weeks

- [W43 · Oct 19–25](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/): Largest drop: Google AI Mode (−3.6 pp) (current edition)
- [W42 · Oct 12–18](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w42/): Largest rise: Google AI Overviews (+4.0 pp)
- [W41 · Oct 5–11](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w41/): Largest rise: Google AI Overviews (+6.5 pp)
- [W40 · Sep 28–Oct 4](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w40/): Largest rise: Google AI Mode (+14.9 pp)
- [W39 · Sep 21–27](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w39/): Largest rise: Google AI Mode (+18.8 pp)
- [W38 · Sep 14–20](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w38/): Largest drop: Google AI Mode (−15.6 pp)
- [W37 · Sep 7–13](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w37/): Largest rise: Google AI Mode (+6.3 pp)
- [W36 · Aug 31–Sep 6](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w36/): Largest rise: Google AI Mode (+17.2 pp)
- [W35 · Aug 24–30](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w35/): Largest drop: Google AI Mode (−30.1 pp)
- [W34 · Aug 17–23](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w34/): Largest rise: Google AI Overviews (+36.9 pp)
- [W33 · Aug 10–16](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w33/): Largest drop: Google AI Overviews (−18.6 pp)
- [W32 · Aug 3–9](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w32/): Largest drop: Google AI Overviews (−15.6 pp)
- [W31 · Jul 27–Aug 2](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w31/): Largest rise: Google AI Overviews (+4.5 pp)
- [W30 · Jul 20–26](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w30/): Largest drop: Perplexity (−12.2 pp)
- [W29 · Jul 13–19](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w29/): Largest rise: Google AI Mode (+5.2 pp)
- [W28 · Jul 6–12](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w28/): Largest rise: Perplexity (+5.8 pp)
- [W27 · Jun 29–Jul 5](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w27/): Largest rise: Perplexity (+7.9 pp)
- [W26 · Jun 22–28](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w26/): Largest drop: Google AI Overviews (−6.2 pp)
- [W25 · Jun 15–21](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w25/): Largest drop: Perplexity (−9.2 pp)
- [W24 · Jun 8–14](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w24/): Largest rise: Google AI Overviews (+8.8 pp)
- [W23 · Jun 1–7](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w23/): Largest rise: Google AI Overviews (+21.7 pp)
- [W22 · May 25–31](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w22/): Largest drop: Google AI Overviews (−18.1 pp)
- [W21 · May 18–24](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w21/): Largest drop: Google AI Overviews (−13.5 pp)
- [W20 · May 11–17](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w20/): Largest rise: Grok (+8.7 pp)
- [W19 · May 4–10](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w19/): Largest drop: Google AI Mode (−20.0 pp)
- [W18 · Apr 27–May 3](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w18/): Largest rise: Grok (+5.5 pp)
- [W17 · Apr 20–26](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w17/): Largest drop: Grok (−19.6 pp)
- [W16 · Apr 13–19](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w16/): Largest rise: Perplexity (+6.7 pp)
- [W15 · Apr 6–12](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w15/): Largest rise: Grok (+4.5 pp)
- [W14 · Mar 30–Apr 5](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w14/): Largest drop: Perplexity (−2.6 pp)
- [W13 · Mar 23–29](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w13/): Largest rise: Google AI Overviews (+12.7 pp)
- [W12 · Mar 16–22](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w12/): Largest drop: Google AI Overviews (−13.5 pp)
- [W11 · Mar 9–15](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w11/): Largest rise: Google AI Mode (+8.8 pp)
- [W10 · Mar 2–8](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w10/): Largest rise: Grok (+4.1 pp)
- [W9 · Feb 23–Mar 1](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w09/): Largest rise: Google AI Overviews (+3.7 pp)
- [W8 · Feb 16–22](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w08/): Largest rise: Perplexity (+2.7 pp)
- [W7 · Feb 9–15](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w07/): Largest rise: Google AI Overviews (+20.3 pp)
- [W6 · Feb 2–8](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w06/): Largest rise: Grok (+12.3 pp)
- [W5 · Jan 26–Feb 1](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w05/): Largest drop: Google AI Overviews (−10.5 pp)
- [W4 · Jan 19–25](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w04/): Largest rise: Grok (+19.5 pp)
- [W3 · Jan 12–18](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w03/): Largest drop: Google AI Mode (−9.6 pp)
- [W2 · Jan 5–11](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w02/): Largest drop: Google AI Mode (−7.8 pp)
- [W1 · Dec 29–Jan 4](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w01/): Start of the series

## Events

Large changes in the series and what is known about them. We only log explanations with a source; when there is none, we say so.

- **W16 · Apr 13–19** · Reduced base (Copilot): Copilot had a smaller-than-usual base in week 16; comparisons involving that week are not assessed.
- **W11 · Mar 9–15** · Observed by third parties (Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode): Google AI Overviews goes from 50% in January to 65–71% between weeks 13 and 18, and Google AI Mode from 33% (week 3) to 55–57% between weeks 11 and 14. Tinuiti, with Profound data, recorded YouTube's share of AI Overviews citations more than doubling, and of AI Mode citations more than quadrupling, between January and April. Google has not commented on the cause. [Source: How YouTube became the most cited platform in LLMs](https://digiday.com/marketing/in-graphic-detail-llms-keep-citing-youtube-in-search-results/)
- **W10 · Mar 2–8** · Possible (ChatGPT): ChatGPT falls from 4.2% (week 9) to 0.2% and stays below 1.8% through week 18. The same week, on March 3, OpenAI switched the default model to GPT-5.3 Instant, described as less likely to lean on web results. No one has linked this change to YouTube. [Source: OpenAI releases GPT-5.3 Instant for smoother everyday conversations and better search](https://the-decoder.com/openai-releases-gpt-5-3-instant-for-smoother-everyday-conversations-and-better-search/) · [Source: GPT-5.3 Instant: ChatGPT Shows Fewer Links in Web Search — SEO Impact](https://almcorp.com/blog/gpt-5-3-instant-chatgpt-web-search-fewer-links-seo-impact/)
- **W6 · Feb 2–8** · No explanation found (ChatGPT): ChatGPT falls from 5.1% (week 5) to 0.6%, swings between 1.1% and 2.0% over the next two weeks and returns to 4.2% in week 9. We found no public change to ChatGPT in the week of the drop.
- **W4 · Jan 19–25** · No explanation found (Grok): Grok rises from 18.7% (week 3) to 38.2%, 49.6% (week 6), 66.1% (week 11) and 76–82% between weeks 13 and 16. We found no xAI announcement or public measurement of this rise.
- **W4 · Jan 19–25** · Possible (Google AI Overviews): Google AI Overviews falls from 48.3% (week 3) to 35.1%, 24.6% and 31.4% (week 6), and returns to 51.7% in week 7. On January 27, Gemini 3 became the default model for AI Overviews, and on February 4 Google acknowledged a bug that left some answers without links; SE Ranking measured the missing sources in those weeks. The drop starts earlier, on January 19, and no one has linked these changes to YouTube. [Source: Gemini 3 Replaces 42% of Previously Cited Domains in AI Overviews](https://seranking.com/blog/gemini-3-impact-on-ai-overviews/) · [Source: Google AI Overviews Bug Removes Links & Citations](https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ai-overviews-bug-no-links-40885.html)
- **W2 · Jan 5–11** · No explanation found (Google AI Mode): Google AI Mode falls from 50.9% (week 1) to 43.0% and 33.4% (week 3), and only rises above 40% again in week 8. We found no public change to AI Mode in that window.

## Method, in short

Source: data observed and catalogued by First Answer. Each week, we measure by model the share of answers that cite youtube.com among their sources and compare it with the previous week. A change is flagged as significant only when it exceeds the 95% margin and is at least 1 pp. Weeks with a smaller-than-usual base are flagged and left out of the comparison.

## Limitations

The index measures what First Answer's base observes, not every search made on the models. We do not disclose volumes, questions, topics, categories, brands, channels or clients; only aggregate measures by model. Claude is not included in this series. Explanations under Events come from external sources and state how confirmed they are.

## How to cite

Beckmann, R. (2026). *YouTube in AI search: weekly index* (week 16, Apr 13–19, 2026). First Answer. https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/indices/youtube-in-ai-search/2026-w16

## Related study

[FA-MET-01 — How to Measure What an AI Recommends](https://rodrigobeckmann.com/en/research/how-to-measure-what-an-ai-recommends/): How many queries it takes to tell an isolated observation from a real pattern.