Google Launches Its Gemini AI Assistant on TV Streaming Devices

Google has officially begun rolling out a major update for Google TV Streamer owners, replacing the standard Google Assistant with the more advanced Gemini AI model. This change marks a new stage in the evolution of voice control for televisions.

Smarter Search and Personalization

Gemini’s main advantage is its ability to understand complex, multi-part queries. Instead of simple commands, users can now ask questions almost as they would to a real person. For example:

• For shared viewing: “I like thrillers, but my partner likes sci-fi. What should we watch?”
• To catch up: “Briefly summarize what happened in the last season of ‘Game of Thrones’?”
• To stay on trend: “What’s the new hospital drama everyone is talking about?”

An Assistant for All Tasks

Gemini on TV isn’t just for entertainment. Its capabilities are nearly on par with the smartphone version:

• Education: The assistant can act as a virtual tutor, explaining, for instance, “Why do seasons change?” to an elementary school student.
• Help around the house: Ask it to “Show me a step-by-step video on how to fix a leaky faucet” or “Find a recipe for no-yeast bread,” and it will find suitable videos on YouTube.

How to Get It and What’s Next

To activate Gemini, simply press the microphone button on the remote control. According to Google, the update will be rolled out gradually and will become available to all users aged 18 and over “over the next few weeks.”

This launch did not come as a surprise. The company had previously announced its plans to fully replace Assistant with Gemini across all its devices. Pilot launches had already been implemented on some TCL TV models, and this year Gemini is expected to appear on new TVs from Hisense and TCL. The assistant is also already available on the Walmart Onn 4K Pro streaming device.