Electronics manufacturers are leaning heavily into AI-powered technology, even going so far as to usher us deeper into the era of the so-called “AI TV.” At the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show, Samsung hosted a “Visual Display Deep Dive” session in which the company emphasized the role of its Vision AI Companion (VAC) technology in future smart TV products. For the average consumer, though, this leaves the glaring question of what exactly an AI TV brings to the table.
Simply put, an AI TV is a smart TV that integrates adaptive and predictive AI to upscale images and optimize audio levels. Samsung’s VAC, along with similar technology from other manufacturers, goes one step further by including a voice assistant that can chat with you, answer contextual questions about on-screen media, and intelligently search for relevant content.
Concerns linger regarding privacy, lack of control, and the actual usefulness of AI features for AI in general, but especially on TVs. Here’s what you need to know before your next big TV purchase.
AI TV vs. Smart TV: What’s the difference?
The so-called AI TV is simply the next evolution of smart TVs. The term “AI TV” is gaining traction as manufacturers like Samsung expand the depth of adaptive behavior built into its television platform. For example, Samsung boasts that its One Tizen OS can competently adapt to your preferences over time, automatically adjusting sound, picture quality, and other aspects of the viewing experience to your exact tastes. These things are possible because AI is present all the way down to the processors of these TVs.
Many other manufacturers are also including AI upscaling as a standard feature. LG’s OLED wallpaper TV is another prominent TV release featuring an AI processor. Most smart TVs have also received updates that push AI assistants into the TV’s core software. Therefore, it’s entirely likely that the short-form phrase “AI TV” could replace the “smart TV” terminology in the coming months and years. This is especially true considering the marketing buzz and word-of-mouth conversation surrounding AI technology in general.
Are AI TVs going to be everywhere now?
One look at any electronics company’s marketing material or press releases will reveal that there is no intention to dial back on AI integration. While it might sound like just another buzzword, AI TVs are going to be everywhere very soon. However, companies recognize to some extent that consumers value the option to disable AI features.
It remains possible to find smart TVs that include built-in streaming apps without heavy AI branding. Keep in mind, though, that almost every smart TV on today’s market features some degree of image processing or algorithmic enhancement technology, regardless of whether it markets itself as an AI-powered device. If this sounds eerily similar to what adaptive AI accomplishes, it’s because it is. Ultimately, AI TVs are new devices that iterate on what smart TVs have been doing for years; albeit with a newer package that stirs the discussions of today.
