YouTube’s TV App Is Getting A New Feature That Has Been On Mobile For Years – BGR

The YouTube app for smart TVs is getting a conversational “Ask” feature that lets you talk to an AI assistant while watching videos. YouTube began testing its conversational AI as one of many hidden YouTube Premium features in 2023. “Ask” was formally introduced in 2024 for YouTube Premium members on mobile and web, and eventually became available to everyone on those platforms in 2025. Now, that feature is finally rolling out to smart TV users as well.

To use the Ask feature in the YouTube app for your smart TV, press the up or down arrow on your remote while watching a video to bring up the video details, then select the “Ask” button with the four-pointed star symbol. Alternatively, you can press your remote’s microphone button to verbally ask questions using the remote’s built-in microphone. You can also select the on-screen microphone button to ask a question using your smart TV’s microphone or that of another connected smart device, such as a Google Nest speaker. If you do not have a microphone you can use, you can still interact with the conversational AI by selecting suggested prompts that are generated based on the context of the video you’re watching.

The “Ask” feature is available to all signed-in members who meet the minimum age requirements for their country. However, conversational AI tools are only available in select languages and regions. The “Ask” feature on YouTube TV is rolling out gradually, so you’ll be able to explore its uses soon if you live in a supported area.

The YouTube team explains that the conversational AI tool “lets you interact with AI to learn more about the content.” It’s suggested to use this feature to ask questions about the video you’re watching or find related content you might enjoy. In a time when many users don’t want AI on their devices, though, it’s worth questioning whether “Ask” actually adds any value to the YouTube experience.

In an official blog post announcing the launch of conversational AI tools for TV, YouTube’s Senior Director of Product Management Kurt Wilms discussed common use cases for the “Ask” feature. “We’ve seen users break down specific moments while watching podcasts, learn about a city’s landmarks in travel vlogs, and more — all without having to hit pause on their video,” Wilms explained. This analysis certainly suggests that conversational AI is enriching for some viewers.

The YouTube TV app was one of the last places you could watch videos on the platform without the constant reminder that AI has been integrated at every possible layer. For those who feel like using AI is frying their brain, it might seem like this rollout is another step in the wrong direction. On the other hand, it can bring convenience and value to your experience if you enjoy using AI to contextually dive deeper into interesting topics.