YouTube testing new AI feature for smart TVs, gaming consoles, streaming devices

YouTube testing conversational AI for smart TVs to expand beyond phones, desktops

Popular video streaming platform YouTube is reportedly testing its conversational AI feature on smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices in a bid to expand it beyond just smartphones and desktop platforms.

YouTube's new AI feature, illustrated by an Ask button adorned with a Gemini sparkle icon, would allow viewers to interact with an AI assistant while enjoying content on big screens.

Ask: YouTube's new AI feature on TVs

The AI tool was previously introduced in 2024 for mobile and desktop users as a conversational AI assistant, enabling users to ask questions related to the video, request summaries, fetch suggestions for similar content, and choose from suggested prompts.

YouTube's TV users would also have the option to choose from a list of existing prompts to perform a variety of actions.

Now, YouTube is experimenting to bring this functionality to TV platforms on compatible devices. Users can activate the Ask feature using the microphone button on their remote, and suggested prompts will be displayed on screen.

As of now, the feature is restricted to a handful of users and is added only to select videos. The Ask button pops up during playback, allowing users to pose questions related to the content they are watching, and the AI provides answers.

Ask feature's availability and language support

YouTube’s conversational AI tool is currently accessible only in select regions and supports five languages: English, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean.

The sad part of the story is that the company has not yet announced when the TV version will be rolled out to more users or regions.

For YouTube TV users, instead of searching separately on a phone, viewers can now request summaries directly from their TV.

The functionality of the phone is subject to change before a broader rollout since it is in the testing phase.