According to TechCrunch, at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Google is previewing a series of new Gemini AI features for Google TV devices. The company first brought Gemini to Google TV in November, and now it’s showing off capabilities that will soon let viewers deep dive into topics, search and “reimagine” personal photos and videos with AI, and control TV settings using only voice commands. These features will first arrive on select TCL televisions before a broader rollout to other Google TV devices in the coming months. To use them, devices will need to be running Android TV OS 14 or higher, plus an internet connection and a Google account. Google also notes that not all languages, countries, or devices will be supported at launch.
Talking to your TV finally gets useful
Look, we’ve had voice search on TVs for years. But it’s mostly been for finding a title or opening an app. Google‘s demo here seems to aim for something more conversational and, frankly, more helpful. Asking for a show that blends two people’s tastes, or getting a plot recap because you forgot what happened last week? That’s genuinely useful. The killer feature, though, might be the voice-controlled settings. Telling your TV “the screen is too dim” or “I can’t hear the dialogue” and having it just… fix it? That’s a small quality-of-life win that eliminates a huge pain point. No more fumbling through three different menus while your movie is paused. Basically, they’re trying to make the AI feel less like a search bar and more like a helpful person sitting next to you on the couch.
The TV as AI-powered hub
Here’s the thing: Google isn’t just thinking about entertainment. They’re clearly pushing the idea of the TV as a central household hub for information and personal media. The “deep dive” educational features turn the big screen into an interactive learning tool. And the integration with Google Photos is a big deal. Searching your library for specific moments is one thing, but applying AI artistic styles or creating “cinematic slideshows” is a direct play to make the TV the best place to view and relive your memories. It’s a smart way to leverage Google’s existing ecosystem. They already have your photos and your data; now they want your biggest screen to be the primary interface for it all.
The rollout and the reality
So, it starts with TCL TVs. That’s a pragmatic partnership to get it into living rooms. But the real test will be performance and latency. Will asking Gemini a question feel snappy, or will it be a laggy, frustrating experience that makes you grab your phone instead? And while the voice-controlled settings sound great, I’m skeptical. Audio and picture settings are incredibly complex and subjective. Will a simple voice command really optimize them correctly for every room and setup? Probably not perfectly, but even getting 80% of the way there automatically would be a win. The requirement for Android TV OS 14 also means a lot of older devices will be left out. This feels like a feature for new hardware, which is always the game at CES.
A smarter screen for a smarter home
This move isn’t happening in a vacuum. Every tech giant wants to own the living room screen. Google’s angle is leveraging its AI and personal data ecosystem to make the TV experience more intuitive and personalized. It’s less about selling you a new streaming service and more about making the entire interface smarter. If they can pull it off smoothly, it could be a compelling reason to choose a Google TV. But if it’s clunky or feels like a gimmick, it’ll just be another CES promise that fades away. The ambition is clear: your TV shouldn’t just be a dumb display. With Gemini, Google is betting it can be the most helpful screen in your house.
