Summary:
-
YouTube celebrates 20 years since the first video upload, “Me at the Zoo,” leading to a $1.65 billion sale to Google.
-
The platform now sees millions of daily uploads and likes, introducing new features like Multiview and voice replies.
-
Despite their success, the founders have pursued different paths, with Karim still at Stanford with one viral video.
YouTube turns 20 today, marking two decades since co-founder Jawed Karim uploaded the platform’s first-ever video, “Me at the Zoo.” Along with Steve Chen and Chad Hurley, the trio quickly transformed the internet, selling YouTube to Google for $1.65 billion just a year later.
Today, YouTube sees over 20 million daily uploads and 3.5 billion daily likes, celebrating with new features like Multiview for YouTube TV, voice replies for comments, and an AI-powered music station.While YouTube continues to grow, its founders have gone their separate ways.
Steve Chen is innovating in food tech in Taiwan, Chad Hurley is involved in sports as a part-owner of the Golden State Warriors and co-founder of MixBit, and Jawed Karim is quietly studying at Stanford, still with just one video on his channel—now boasting over 355 million views.
YouTube’s 20th anniversary reminds us of the platform’s massive cultural impact and its founders’ lasting influence.
