YouTube’s 20-Year Global Dominance

It is incredible how, in just twenty years, YouTube has come to dominate the world. Today, it is the most widely used online platform in the USA, with as many as 84 percent of the adult American population using this home entertainment hub.

The Path to Success

What truly led to this success? YouTube’s initial business model was entirely different. In 2005, Steve Chen and Chad Hurley wanted to give people the ability to publish their own videos, planning to earn primarily from movie advertisements. However, this did not drive enough traffic. This was before the smartphone revolution; video came mainly from cameras and was not as ubiquitous as it is today. There was also a lack of simple, high-quality editing tools.

The 2007 Breakthrough

The turning point came in 2007 with the introduction of the ad-revenue sharing model with creators. It was the creators who did the heavy lifting—the same work for which television stations paid millions to professional production crews. Once the audience reached a sufficient scale, about ten years later, YouTube introduced subscriptions and an ad-free model for users who found the platform to be their primary way of spending free time.

A Full Spectrum of Products

Today, YouTube offers a complete range of products, including:

• Subscriptions

• Shorts

• Live TV

This ecosystem gives rise to entirely new and often surprising business models. The success of Kanał Zero in Poland, as well as new projects like Jan Piński’s channel, demonstrate the enormous potential of YouTube for creators.

The Future: AI and Copyright

The question remains: when will YouTube decide—following the example of OpenAI—to sign agreements allowing creators to legally produce content using the copyrights of major producers? Imagine the demand for an alternative ending to Titanic or additional gags from The Hangover created using AI.

This presents an incredibly interesting future. Content creation by hundreds of millions of creators and influencers offers nearly infinite possibilities for invention and creativity—from scientific lectures and romantic stories to culinary guides and travelogues.

The Final Verdict: YouTube vs. The Giants

YouTube, Netflix, and Disney are currently fighting for our time—time we dedicate to them while paying with our own money. The difference is that YouTube is the only one that simultaneously provides:

1. Value of knowledge and information.

2. Impact on public debate.

3. Full freedom of choice for the user.

That is why YouTube will be the winner of this race. It is a platform that offers a choice far broader than mere entertainment.