YouTube’s latest experiment has brought its conversational AI tool to TVs

The race to develop conversational AI in the living room is heating up, with YouTube becoming the latest to expand its tools to include smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices.

This experimental feature, previously limited to mobile and web, now brings conversational AI directly to the largest screen in the home, allowing users to ask questions about content without leaving the video they are watching.

According to the YouTube support page, eligible users can tap the “Ask” button on their TV screen to summon the AI ​​assistant. This feature offers suggested questions based on the video, or users can use the microphone button on the remote to ask anything related to the video. For example, they might ask about the ingredients in a recipe or the background to a song’s lyrics, and receive instant answers without pausing or leaving the app.

This feature is currently available to a select group of users over the age of 18 and supports English, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean languages.

YouTube debuted its AI-powered conversation tool in 2024 to help viewers explore content more deeply. The expansion into TVs comes as more Americans now access YouTube through their TVs than ever before. An April 2025 Nielsen report found that YouTube represented 12.4% of total TV audience time, surpassing major platforms like Disney and Netflix.

Other companies are also making big strides in conversational AI technologies. Amazon has rolled out Alexa+ on Fire TV devices, enabling users to engage in natural conversations and ask Alexa+ for personalized content recommendations, search for specific scenes in movies, or even ask questions about actors and filming locations.

Meanwhile, Roku has beefed up its AI voice assistant to handle open-ended questions about movies and shows, like “What’s this movie about?” or “How scary is it?” Netflix is ​​also testing an AI search experience.

Another way YouTube has tried to improve its TV experience with AI is the recent launch of a feature that automatically optimizes HD videos uploaded at a lower resolution.

Additionally, the company continues to launch other AI features, such as a comment summary that helps viewers follow video discussions and an AI-based search results carousel. In January, the company announced that creators would soon be able to create Shorts videos using AI-generated versions.

Last week, YouTube launched a dedicated app for the Apple Vision Pro as well, allowing users to watch their favorite content on a virtual theater-sized screen in an immersive environment.