MKBHD slams YouTube's new feature that tests up to 3 versions of the same video: 'Craziest, riskiest idea'

Marques Brownlee, aka MKBHD, one of the world's most influential tech YouTubers, has once again publicly criticized YouTube's new A/B testing feature. He called it the platform's 'craziest, riskiest, and possibly worst idea yet.'

The tool lets creators upload up to three versions of the same video and show them to real audiences to see which cut keeps viewers watching longest. According to Dexerto, YouTube uses semantic analysis to make sure the versions are similar, testing only applies to new uploads, and a wider rollout is planned for early 2027.

Brownlee's concerns include viewers not knowing they are watching a test version, timestamped comments that may stop making sense, and the risk of creators chasing metrics over quality. 'It's helping you find which version has the best retention, which doesn't necessarily mean it's a better video,' he summed up.