> anecdotally youtube seems to have aggressively increased the number of ads just in the last few weeks or so

Yes. I've noticed that almost every video I've watched I have to sit through two ads (first 15 seconds, second I can stop after 5ish) first. And if the video is long enough I get the ads at the bottom of the video and sometimes one or two more video ads.

I get it, it's free, but at some point it won't be worth the frustration.