Introduction

If you’re a YouTuber who spends weeks editing long-form content, brace yourself — Google just flipped the script. During Alphabet’s Q3 2025 earnings call, CEO Sundar Pichai confirmed that in the U.S., YouTube Shorts now earn more ad revenue per watch hour than traditional videos.

This single statement reshapes the entire creator economy and signals a massive cultural shift in online video.

What Sundar Pichai Actually Said

“In the U.S., Shorts now earn more revenue per watch hour than traditional in-stream on YouTube.” — Sundar Pichai, Alphabet Q3 2025 Earnings Call

That one line sent shockwaves across the creator world — and immediately went viral after @Dexerto posted it on X (formerly Twitter).

Their post quickly crossed 150K views and 4.2K likes, with creators flooding the replies, expressing disbelief, frustration, and — for some — panic.

The Numbers Behind the Bombshell

• YouTube’s total ad revenue: $10.3 billion in Q3 2025 — up 15% YoY.
• YouTube Shorts daily views: Over 200 billion, surpassing TikTok globally.
• Top creator performance: MrBeast’s Shorts now pull tens of millions of views in just 24 hours.

In short (pun intended), short-form is not only dominating in engagement — it’s now financially outperforming long-form per hour watched.

Creators React — “Long-Form Is Officially Dead”

“We spent years learning editing, pacing, storytelling — and now 15-second clips pay better.”

Memes exploded online, led by the Homer Simpson dollar meme, showing Homer staring at a torn $1 bill — a perfect metaphor for long-form creators earning scraps while Shorts creators cash in.

Why This Shift Is Happening

YouTube is prioritizing engagement and ad efficiency. Here’s what’s driving the change:

1. Shorts ads are cheaper and more frequent, increasing per-hour monetization.
2. Advertisers love snackable formats with higher view-through rates.
3. YouTube’s algorithm aggressively pushes Shorts on mobile users.
4. Younger audiences (Gen Z, Alpha) now prefer fast, looping content.

As a result, the “watch hour value” of short-form content has surpassed traditional long videos — even if total ad spend per video is smaller.

Impact on the Creator Economy

This shift means:

• Many creators will pivot from long videos to Shorts-only content.
• Expect more AI-generated short clips flooding the feed.
• Long-form storytelling and deep dives may become a niche luxury.

“YouTube grew on creators telling stories. Now it’s rewarding who can grab attention in 5 seconds.”

What Happens Next

YouTube has already clarified that Shorts won’t get a separate app — they’re the future of YouTube’s core experience. Expect more monetization updates, AI editing tools, and algorithm tweaks that continue boosting Shorts visibility.

For viewers, this means your homepage might soon look more like TikTok — faster, shorter, and algorithm-driven.

For creators, it’s adapt or fade.

FAQs

Q1. What did Sundar Pichai say about Shorts revenue?
He confirmed Shorts in the U.S. now earn more ad revenue per watch hour than long-form YouTube videos.

Q2. How much did YouTube earn in Q3 2025?
YouTube reported $10.3 billion in ad revenue, up 15% year-over-year.

Q3. Does this mean long videos are dead?
Not entirely — but long-form creators will need to diversify with Shorts to stay relevant and profitable.

Q4. Will YouTube become like TikTok?
YouTube’s direction suggests it’s merging short-form entertainment with long-form discovery, blending both ecosystems.

Conclusion

YouTube’s message is clear: the platform of the future is short, vertical, and fast. This might be great for advertisers — but for long-form creators, it’s a creative and economic earthquake.

Neutral Opinion (Deep Reflection)

The irony is striking — a platform built on watch time is now rewarding attention time. What began as a hub for thoughtful, long storytelling is transforming into an endless scroll of fleeting moments.

It’s neither good nor bad — it’s evolution. The question is whether creators and audiences will evolve with it, or whether the pendulum will swing back when people crave depth again.

In a world obsessed with seconds, maybe the next revolution will be whoever learns to make minutes feel valuable again.