- YouTube is testing the AI-powered Ask functionality on various smart and connected TV platforms.
- As with the mobile interface, you can ask questions specific to a YouTube video.
- Besides suggested prompts, you will also be able to ask specific questions using the mic on your TV’s remote.
If you are among the majority of internet users who turn to YouTube to survive the daily dread, you would have noticed a tiny Gemini icon that appears in the button bar under videos. This “conversational AI tool,” as YouTube calls it, lets you ask questions about topics covered in the video you’re watching, or jump to a specific timestamp. Since conversations are limited to the particular viewing session, you get specific responses attuned to the video rather than more generic ones that Gemini would otherwise offer. Overall, the tool can help you satisfy your curiosity without leaving the app.
While the experience is currently limited to YouTube’s web interface and mobile apps, it may soon expand to bigger screens. In a support page dedicated to “YouTube test features and experiments,” the team said that it’s bringing the functionality to the app on smart TVs. The move makes sense, as YouTube continues to hold the largest share of TV viewership among users in the US.