MKBHD has expressed concern over how YouTube’s new A/B testing feature will affect viewers, even as the company has announced the tool. It allows creators to run separate versions of the same video against one another, expanding the platform’s existing testing capabilities beyond titles and thumbnails into the video content itself. This means creators can test different edits and see which ones perform better.
MKBHD expressed his doubts following the announcement, admitting that he has grown less certain the concept functions as intended. He referenced a lengthy roster of queries surrounding how the system will manage its audience.
What MKBHD Questions
Brownlee has stated that his opinion of the announcement grows worse the more he considers it. The chief worry he raises is the sheer number of questions that remain without answers at present.
The question was raised about whether viewers will be informed when they are watching a video that is part of an A/B test. Another question was whether there will be any means of determining which version another viewer saw while reading the comments. This is important because comments frequently reference timestamps, and those timestamps could stop lining up if someone is shown a different cut of the same video.
“If someone’s comment has timestamps, do they break if I’m seeing the other version of the video?” he asked.
Brownlee questioned how long creators will be permitted to keep running tests on their published videos and how distinct each version can be made from the last. He stated that he is not against change merely because it is new, yet holds that examining the actual content of videos pushes beyond what creators’ current tools allow.
“I hate to be the ‘old school’ creator who never wants anything to change, but I fear A/B testing THE VIDEO ITSELF is just 1 step further than what I can fully grasp,” he said.
The Comparison Problem
The issue at hand is that timestamps have stopped being fixed points. A remark pointing to minute 12 may now fall on an entirely different moment in another version of the video. This could leave viewers puzzled when a remark references a timestamp that no longer matches what they are watching.
| Feature | Old Testing Tools | New Video A/B Testing |
|---|---|---|
| What gets tested | Titles and thumbnails | Video content itself |
| What viewers see | A single version | Multiple possible versions |
| Comment timestamps | Fixed across all viewers | May break or mismatch |
Past Doubts
In August, Brownlee raised concerns about YouTube’s existing A/B testing tools. He suggested that constantly changing titles and thumbnails can make videos harder to recognize when viewers return to the platform. Now YouTube’s latest experiment takes that concept further by allowing creators to test different versions of the videos themselves.
The constant experimentation Brownlee has warned about could confuse returning viewers, and now that testing has extended into the content itself rather than just the image on the page.
The way different versions work together with comments and timestamps depends entirely on how YouTube builds the feature.
What We Make Of It
MKBHD does not reject the proposal. Instead, he raises doubts about whether YouTube has fully considered the implications for how viewers actually use the platform.
The queries he raises are grounded in practice rather than theory. They touch on timestamps, comments, and the soundness of the exchange surrounding a video.
The feature is still in development, and YouTube’s implementation will ultimately determine whether these concerns are real problems or temporary ones. Until then, Brownlee’s doubts are worth keeping in mind — the testing of video content is a notable shift, and the questions around it are worth following.
YouTube is still working on the change, and it remains more of an open question than a completed plan. Creators like Brownlee are stepping up to help make sure the path ahead stays smooth as the platform moves forward.
Source material: “MKBHD raises concerns over YouTube’s new video A/B testing feature,” Dexerto.
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