I think it’s naive to assume the ad revenue would have came at the same pace naturally. At least not without completely pushing users away and ruining the product (nobody likes ads but YouTube ads aren’t the worst). Google having an ad business was a strategic asset for YouTube as a business

Youtube was full of pirate music videos. If Google (or some other heavyweight) didn't buy them, they probably would have been sued out of existence like Napster and etc.

Only if revenue grew quickly enough.

When Google bought YouTube, it already had Google Video. Google saw that YouTube had market traction and pivoted quickly, to its (and YouTube's) credit.

Google doesn't pay for transit. Their private glass was the whole reason the acquisition worked.

Shhh just let the Googlers believe they’re elite super geniuses when all they do is acquire successful tech like Android, YouTube, and on and on.

Everything they make from within flops 99% of the time.