YouTube Expands AI Chat Feature to Smart TV Screens - AI News Today Recency
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Published: 2/19/2026
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Updated: 2/19/2026, 10:11:37 PM
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# YouTube Expands AI Chat Feature to Smart TV Screens
YouTube is rolling out its innovative conversational AI "Ask" feature to smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices, allowing users to voice questions about videos directly from their living room screens.[1][2][3] Currently in testing with a select group of users, this expansion bridges the gap between mobile AI tools and big-screen viewing, powered by Gemini to deliver context-specific answers without interrupting playback.[1][3]
How the AI Ask Button Works on Smart TVs
The Ask button appears alongside familiar controls like like, dislike, and comments while watching a video on YouTube TV apps.[2][3] Tapping it opens a chat interface with suggested prompts or a microphone option for voice queries, leveraging the TV remote's built-in mic for hands-free interaction.[1][2] For instance, users can ask, “What ingredients are they using for this recipe?” or “What’s the story behind this song’s lyrics?” with Gemini providing time-stamped, video-focused responses in the background.[1][3]
This voice-centric design addresses the frustration of typing on TVs, reducing friction and keeping viewers engaged on the big screen.[3] Unlike broader assistants like Gemini for Google TV, the feature stays scoped to the current video, enhancing tutorials, recipes, and music breakdowns.[2][3]
Testing Rollout and Device Compatibility
YouTube's experiment targets a small user group initially, with potential wider rollout based on feedback.[1][3] It's not limited to Google TV or Android TV; testing spans platforms like Samsung's Tizen, LG's webOS, gaming consoles, and streaming devices such as Apple TV.[2][3] Eligible users spot the Ask button during playback, selectable via remote for seamless access.[1]
As YouTube dominates US TV viewership, this move aims to boost engagement on premium ad inventory screens.[2] The feature builds on its existing presence in web and mobile apps, now adapting for voice-heavy TV use.[1][2]
Broader Implications for YouTube's AI Strategy in 2026
This TV expansion aligns with YouTube's aggressive AI push for 2026, including tools for creators to generate Shorts with AI avatars, music experiments, and game creation via text prompts.[4][5] CEO Neal Mohan emphasizes AI as a "bridge between curiosity and understanding," while cracking down on low-quality "AI slop" through better detection.[5] Enhanced TV features like customizable multi-view and new YouTube TV plans further prioritize big-screen dominance.[4]
Early skepticism exists about user adoption amid feature fatigue, but strong potential shines in interactive content like walkthroughs and breakdowns.[2][3]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is YouTube's conversational AI Ask feature?
YouTube's **Ask** feature is an AI-powered chat tool that lets users query details about the video they're watching, using Gemini for precise, context-aware answers.[1][3]
How do I access the AI Ask button on my smart TV?
If eligible in the test, look for the **Ask** button next to like/dislike while watching a video, then use suggested prompts or your TV remote's microphone.[1][2]
Which devices support the YouTube AI chat on TVs?
Testing includes smart TVs (Android TV, Tizen, webOS), gaming consoles, and streaming devices like Apple TV, beyond just Google TV.[2][3]
Is the AI Ask feature available to everyone now?
No, it's currently limited to a small test group, with expansion depending on feedback.[1][3]
How does this differ from Gemini for Google TV?
The **Ask** tool is video-specific, focusing on the current content via voice or prompts, unlike general Google TV assistance.[2]
Will this AI feature affect video ads or creators?
It enhances viewer retention on TVs, potentially increasing ad minutes, while tying into 2026 creator AI tools like avatar Shorts.[3][4][5]
🔄 Updated: 2/19/2026, 8:41:05 PM
**LONDON (Breaking News) —** UK lawmakers grilled Google and YouTube executives during a February 13, 2026, parliamentary inquiry on AI regulation, with one representative calling for "urgent intervention for clarity from parliament and from the legal systems" amid rapid AI advances driven by legal cases rather than legislation[2]. YouTube's new 2026 AI strategy, including biometric verification for likeness detection to combat deepfakes, has spotlighted tensions over privacy and platform governance, as sources note it "signals how private platforms may effectively set standards ahead of formal legislation" while regulators debate digital identity rules[1]. No formal government actions or bans on YouTube's AI expansions, such as chat features on smart TVs, have been announced as of
🔄 Updated: 2/19/2026, 8:51:05 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: YouTube Expands AI Chat Feature to Smart TV Screens**
YouTube is testing its "Ask" conversational AI button on smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices, allowing users to voice questions about videos—like “What ingredients are they using for this recipe?”—via TV remote mics, powered by Gemini and limited to English, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean in select regions.[1][2] Android Authority experts express skepticism, questioning user demand with the quip “but who asked for it?” and warning of potential fatigue from “yet another less desirable feature,” despite YouTube's dominant US TV viewership share.[2] This TV expansion builds on the feature's web and mobile rollout, differentiating it from broader
🔄 Updated: 2/19/2026, 9:01:23 PM
YouTube is testing its conversational AI "Ask" feature on smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices—a move that positions the platform to compete more directly with TV-native AI assistants as competitors like Samsung and LG embed their own AI capabilities into sets[1][2]. The expansion comes as YouTube captures over a billion hours of daily TV viewership, making smart TVs "prime real estate for AI integration" in Google's broader push to embed AI across consumer touchpoints[1]. Unlike Samsung's and LG's TV-centric AI processors focused on picture quality and voice control, YouTube's approach targets content interaction itself, letting viewers ask questions about videos using their remote's microphone without pausing or reaching for
🔄 Updated: 2/19/2026, 9:11:14 PM
**BREAKING: YouTube Rolls Out Conversational AI Testing on Smart TVs**
YouTube is now testing its "Ask" button—adorned with a Gemini sparkle icon—on smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices, enabling users to summon an AI assistant via remote microphone for video-specific questions like “What ingredients are they using for this recipe?” or “What’s the story behind this song’s lyrics?”[2][3] The feature, limited to a small group of users in select regions and supporting English, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean, builds on its 2024 mobile/desktop debut by placing the button near like/dislike controls during playback[1][3][4]. Google highlights over a billion daily hours of
🔄 Updated: 2/19/2026, 9:21:12 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: Regulators Intensify Scrutiny on AI Chatbots Amid YouTube's Smart TV Expansion**
As YouTube rolls out its AI chat feature to smart TV screens, the Federal Trade Commission has issued 6B orders to companies including Google—YouTube's parent—requiring detailed disclosures on chatbot data practices, monetization of user engagement, and mitigation of harms to children[1]. State attorneys general urged OpenAI to “amplify safety” over inappropriate content risks to youth, while California advances the Leading Ethical AI Development (LEAD) for Kids Act to restrict companion chatbots' interactions with minors, and SB243—signed in October by Governor Gavin Newsom—marks the state's first law regulating chatbots[
🔄 Updated: 2/19/2026, 9:31:15 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: YouTube Expands AI Chat Feature to Smart TV Screens**
YouTube's rollout of its conversational "Ask" AI button to smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices in select regions promises to transform global living room viewing, building on over **a billion hours of daily TV content consumption** and voice queries in **English, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean**[1][2]. The feature, now tested with a small user group across platforms like Samsung Tizen and LG webOS, has sparked mixed international responses, with Android Authority questioning user demand—"but who asked for it?"—while Ukrainian outlet Mezha hails it as enhancing "user interaction with video content through voice."[3][5]. Google positions this as
🔄 Updated: 2/19/2026, 9:41:15 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Regulatory Scrutiny Intensifies on YouTube's AI Chat Expansion to Smart TVs**
U.S. Senators voiced urgent concerns over AI chat features like YouTube's new Smart TV rollout during a January 17, 2026, Commerce Committee hearing, with Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., warning experts that "AI is way worse" than social media threats to youth, demanding federal action to protect minors from pervasive chatbots on living room screens[2]. Lawmakers stressed the need to "be very loud and clear that the federal government needs to do something on AI," citing sluggish past efforts on social media regulation as a cautionary tale amid rising AI accessibility in homes[2]. No specific enforcement measures or
🔄 Updated: 2/19/2026, 9:51:07 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: YouTube Expands AI Chat Feature to Smart TV Screens**
YouTube's rollout of its conversational AI "Ask" button to smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices in select regions promises to transform global living room viewing, capitalizing on over **1 billion hours of daily TV content consumption** to boost interactive engagement worldwide.[1] Currently limited to **English, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean**, the voice-activated feature—using TV remote mics for queries like “What ingredients are they using for this recipe?”—targets high-TV markets including potential expansion to Tizen and webOS platforms beyond Google TV.[2][3] International responses highlight opportunity amid skepticism, with Android Authority questioning user demand ("but who asked for
🔄 Updated: 2/19/2026, 10:01:23 PM
**Breaking: YouTube Rolls Out Conversational AI "Ask" Button to Smart TVs in Limited Test.** Google is experimenting with its AI chatbot on YouTube TV apps for smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices, enabling users to tap an "Ask" button or use TV remote microphones for voice queries like “What ingredients are they using for this recipe?” or “What’s the story behind this song’s lyrics?”[2][1] The feature, powered by Gemini and available only in English, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean for a small group of users in select regions, aims to boost interactivity amid YouTube's surge to over **a billion hours** of daily TV viewership.[1][3]
🔄 Updated: 10:11:37 PM
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