Google's Gemini AI Arrives on Smart TVs, Revolutionizing Home Entertainment

Google's Gemini AI is coming to your TV | TechCrunch

Google's AI assistant, Gemini, is coming to your TV. On Monday, the company announced it's introducing Gemini for Google TV, allowing TV owners to engage in free-flowing, natural language conversations with the AI. When fully rolled out, this expansion of Gemini to a new platform will bring Google's AI to over 300 million active Google TV and other Android TV OS-powered devices. In terms of TV-related questions, Google suggests its Gemini AI could be used to help people with different interests settle on something to watch that they would both like, or to catch you up on what you missed in a past season of a favorite show. You could also get Gemini to help you find a movie or show when you can't remember the title or ask about a title's reviews to help determine if it's worth watching. However, because it's Gemini, you can ask any other type of question, too, just as you could with the AI chatbot on your smartphone. For instance, kids and parents could use the AI to get homework help or brainstorm school project ideas, families could use Gemini to plan their next vacation, or individual users could leverage the AI to teach themselves a new skill, among other things. The company stresses that Gemini's addition doesn't mean that you won't be able to do the same things you used to be able to do through the (non-AI) Google Assistant integration. Those commands will still work, says Google. The Gemini rollout to Google TV begins on the TCL QM9K series starting today. Later in the year, Gemini will arrive on the Google TV Streamer, Walmart onn 4K Pro, 2025 Hisense U7, U8, and UX models, and 2025 TCL QM7K, QM8K, and X11K models. More functionality will be added over time.

Google is finally launching Gemini on these TV models - with good news for older sets, too

To quote the world's best boss, "Oh my God. OK, it's happening." Gemini is finally coming to Google TV, with the TCL QM9K being the first model to support the intelligent AI assistant. Older brands and models will get in on the action, too, but at a later date. Google first introduced Gemini for its TV operating system at CES in January, pitching the voice assistant's ability to process natural language and offer highly contextual responses. The idea was that Gemini could not only surface shows, movies, and channel recommendations across the TV's catalog of streaming services and apps but also handle general inquiries like homework problems, vacation planning, and more. Also: Why I recommend the Google TV Streamer over competing Roku and Amazon Fire models The end goal? An AI-driven experience that's burdenless and easy to navigate (whether through text or speech) and transforms your TV into the ultimate centerpiece. Beyond serving as a multimedia consumption device, a Gemini-enhanced TV should feel more like an interactive smart hub, an information resource that removes some of the friction from constantly picking up our smartphones. Ahead of this week's Gemini rollout, I sat down with Shalini Govil-Pai, head of Google TV, to demo the latest features and learn a bit more about what's to come. (I was personally interested to know if my five-year-old Hisense TV would get the same software treatment. Consumers are holding onto their TVs for longer than most other electronics, after all.) We started off with Gemini's browsing capabilities. Govil-Pai asks the voice assistant where she can watch Despicable Me 4. Seconds later, a carousel of streaming services that can play the movie appears on screen, and it's not just YouTube that the AI surfaces. Also: Gemini just aced the world's most elite coding competition - what it means for AGI But it's the follow-up question that hooks me: "Tell me more about the previous Despicable Me movies so I'm prepared for the latest one," Govil-Pai inquires. This extended conversation with a TV felt different and refreshing, but it was very much necessary. It just makes sense for your TV to know what it's showing you, including context beyond Rotten Tomato scores and cast lists. Gemini-powered TVs can also answer general questions like, "Can you explain the solar system to a first grader?" Govil-Pai follows that by modifying the question to third- and fifth-grade levels, and we watched as Gemini adjusted the depth and vocabulary of its responses. Eventually, Gemini on Google TV is expected to leverage ambient sensors and other TV hardware to adaptively tailor content to the user. For example, proximity sensors will be used to detect your distance from the TV and therefore determine how information is visualized on screen -- the further away you are, the larger and more simplified the content is presented. Also: Google's new open protocol secures AI agent transactions - and 60 companies already support it Similarly, Google TVs will automatically turn on and off the screensaver when you enter and exit the room. "If we want to go even further ahead, concepts like shopping with virtual try-ons are also being considered," says Govil-Pai. Both of the new voice capabilities will launch with this initial Gemini update, but Google eventually plans to roll them out to other brands and models, including the Google TV Streamer, Walmart onn. 4K Pro, and 2025 Hisense U-series and TCL models. "Our goal is to backport," Govil-Pai tells me. As long as it's a Google TV model with a mic-equipped remote control, the hope is to bring these Gemini tools to as many users as possible. "We will be updating many of them, including lower-end TVs, but not all." Here's to hoping my five-year-old Hisense eventually makes the cut.

Gemini is coming to Google TV starting today

After Google removed the membership fee for Gemini in Chrome and introduced new browser features last week, Gemini is now being added to Google TV. It will be available starting on TCL's new QM9K series TVs -- which were announced earlier this month but are launching today -- and come to other TVs and streaming boxes running Google TV later this year. It will carry forward the same basic commands that Google Assistant has offered for years, such as playing a specific show when asked. But Gemini on Google TV will also let you have "free-flowing conversations" with the AI-powered assistant, so you can find shows based on specific details or vague descriptions or request a recap if you're a few episodes behind on a series you're watching. In a blog post announcing today's Gemini expansion, Google suggests asking the assistant for TV show recommendations with prompts that include everyone's genre preferences or for suggestions based on what shows are currently trending. But Gemini on Google TV isn't limited to being a tool for finding something to watch. After activating it by saying "Hey Google" or pressing the mic button on your TV remote, you can ask broader questions like "why do volcanoes erupt" or "what's a dessert I can make in less than an hour?" Gemini will provide text responses that are read aloud, along with suggestions for related YouTube videos. In addition to the TCL QM9K series TVs that it's debuting on today, Google has confirmed later availability for the already released Google TV Streamer 4K and Walmart Onn 4K Pro, as well as several 2025 models of Hisense and TCL TVs. It won't be the only AI assistant on the market: at CES 2025, both Samsung and LG announced they would be bringing Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant to new models of their smart TVs that are debuting this year.

The very first Google TV set with Gemini is now available for purchase

TCL also plans to upgrade the existing QM8K with Gemini support. Gemini has already made some big strides to replace Assistant across Google's ecosystem -- plus just inject a fresh dose of AI assistance into corners that didn't even have any yet. Right now we're not just looking forward to the Gemini-fication of Google Home, but Gemini also coming to Google TV. Back in May, we learned that TCL would lead that charge as the first manufacturer to deliver a Gemini-equipped screen, and just the other week, we saw TCL introduce the QM9K, its first Gemini model. Now we're finally getting the all-important details about how you can take one of these TVs home.

Gemini lands on Google TV, starting with TCL's new high-end TV lineup

Gemini, Google's next-gen AI assistant, is finally making its way to the biggest screen in your house, beginning with TCL's flagship QM9K series. Announced today, Gemini for Google TV is designed to go far beyond the relatively limited voice commands we've had with Google Assistant for years. The advanced integration stands to deliver a more conversational, more helpful experience for finding entertainment, controlling smart home devices, and even getting homework help, all without picking up your phone. A smart upgrade long in the making Bidding the outdated Google Assistant a fond farewell If you caught Google's CES mention or I/O 2025 event teaser, this rollout shouldn't come as a surprise. TCL is officially the first launch partner to ship Gemini baked directly into its hardware, calling its new QM9K TVs "the industry's first" to feature Google's AI onboard. The QM9K lineup isn't just about brains, though -- TCL's flagship brings 144Hz 4K QD-Mini LED panels with up to 30% higher brightness and 60% more local dimming zones compared to last year, plus Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, and audio tuned by Bang & Olufsen. But the star of the show is Gemini, and what it can do on a TV. Compared to the generally rigid voice commands of traditional voice assistants, you can now talk to your TV like a person. Ask Gemini, "Find a comedy my kids can watch," or "What happened in the last season of Outlander?" and it'll serve up answers with context, even suggesting follow-up options before you hit play. Forget the name of a trending drama? Just describe it, and Gemini will find it. You can even ask for reviews before deciding what to watch. Google is also enabling Gemini to help focus on everyday education. You can ask it to explain basic science concepts, help you maximize your efficiency in the kitchen, or teach you entirely new skills. While streaming and learning are the focuses at launch, Gemini will keep developing its Google TV integrations. Among the rumored upcoming features are the ability to pull up personalized Google Photos albums, generate AI artwork for ambient mode, or even dim the smart lights and adjust the thermostat -- all hands-free. The QM9K series also ships with a presence sensor so the TV can wake into a Nest Hub-like info panel with weather, calendar events, and camera feeds when you walk in. Gemini launches today on TCL's QM9K series and will expand later this year to more devices, including the Google TV Streamer, Walmart Onn 4K Pro; Hisense U7/U8/UX 2025 models; and TCL's QM7K, QM8K, and X11K TVs. With over 300 million active Google TV and Android TV OS devices in the wild, this could mark the beginning of a big shift toward truly conversational TVs. Google's much-loved smart TV operating system might finally make voice control worth using again. TCL QM9K QD-Mini LED TV Display Size 65, 75, 85, or 98-inchs Operating System Google TV Display Type QD-Mini LED Display Resolution 4K Connectivity Wi-Fi 6 HDR Support HDR ULTRA with Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG TCL's latest QLED TV comes with Google TV, integrations with all the major smart home ecosystems (including Apple HomeKit), and you even get a 98-inch model. Expand Collapse

You can now chat with Google's Gemini on select TCL smart TVs

Whether you're looking for something new to stream or you need to help your kids with homework, Gemini on Google TV is on the case. Google's Gemini is poised to take root in your home this fall, from a new Gemini-powered smart speaker to a series of refreshed Nest Cams. But first, Gemini is eyeing a staple of the living room: your TV. Google has already teased Gemini's imminent arrival on smart TV sets, and today it's official: You can now chat with Gemini on the big screen, starting with select TCL TVs. Specifically, TCLs Google TV-powered QM9K Mini-LED TVs are getting Gemini access starting today. Looking forward, Gemini is slated to land on the Google TV Streamer, the Walmart Onn 4K Pro, Hisense's latest U7, U8, and UX models, and 2025 TCL QM7K, QM8K, and X11K models "later this year," with more to come. You'll be able to summon Gemini on a supported Google TV device by saying "Hey Google" or pressing the microphone button on the Google TV remote, same as when you wanted to call up Google Assistant. But while Assistant was limited to basic search, playback, and navigational commands, Gemini will allow for "free-flowing conversations," Google promises. For example, you'll be able to give Gemini commands like, "Find me something to watch with my wife; I like dramas, but she likes lighthearted comedies," according to Google. Other possibilities include queries such as "What happened in the last season of Outlander," or "What's the new hospital drama everyone's talking about?" For any suggestions served up by Gemini (such as The Pitt for the latter question), you'll be able to ask follow-up queries ("Did it get good reviews?"). Google is also positioning Gemini on Google TV as more than just a streaming recommendation companion. Aside from "what to watch" questions, you'll be able to ask a Gemini-enabled TV to help with a number of wide-ranging tasks. "Explain why volcanoes erupt to my third grader" is one example that Google suggests, along with "How do I learn guitar as a beginner?" or "What's a dessert I can make in less than an hour?" Gemini on Google TV follows Amazon's AI efforts on its various Fire TV models. Amazon rolled out AI-powered search for Fire TV sets nearly a year ago, and before that, it delivered the ability for select Fire TV models to create AI-generated wallpapers. Gemini's arrival on Google TV devices is just the first in a series of Gemini-at-home announcements we're expecting in the coming days. On October 1, Google is slated to unveil its revamped Google Home lineup, including (most likely) a new Gemini-powered smart speaker and three new Nest cams. The smart speaker, said to be called the "Google Home Speaker," was previously teased by Google during its Pixel event last month. The speaker is rumored to double as a Matter hub and may also be capable of pairing with the Google TV Streamer. Meanwhile, new indoor and outdoor Nest Cams and a refreshed Nest Doorbell are rumored to be on tap, with all three new cameras expected to boast 2K video resolution (up from 1080p) along with "zoom and crop" capabilities, expanded three-hour video previews, and an hour of local video storage, along with other Gemini-infused features.