AI: Google Gemini amps up AI on TV at CES 2025. RTZ #593

It’s a new year and the first days of 2025 in this AI Tech Wave, so it means CES 2025 is upon us January 7-10 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Complete with ‘rollable’ AI laptops as shown above. It’s about ‘What if’ and ‘What’s next’, and less ‘What’s truly useful’. But a lot of fun to see and discuss nevertheless. With lots of AI in and over everything for good measure.

So just like last year, almost everything will be shown off via an AI framework. From AI PCs/Smartphones, to AI TVs, AI Smart homes, and a wide-ranging array of AI ‘Mobility’ hardware. That will in turn include everything from cars, to industrial tractors, to gadgets for both consumer and enterprise use, with dollops of AI in their operating systems and capabilities. And of course a keynote by Nvidia founder/CEO Jensen Huang on Monday night.

Google plans to do its Gemini AI thing with Google TV on third party TVs. As Bloomberg explains in “Google to Bring Gemini AI to TV Sets Running Its Software”:

“Alphabet Inc.’s consumer team will give TV sets running its Google TV operating system an AI upgrade by adding Gemini to its Google Assistant voice-control system.”

“At the CES technology conference on Monday, the company previewed upgraded Google TV software that adds more natural voice commands, improved content search and deeper YouTube integration.”

I’ve already discussed Google Gemini ramping up its AI voice capabilities to billions of users in 2025, competing head to head with Apple’s Siri being similarly revamped with AI, and Amazon with its Alexa/Echo offerings. Now it’ll be on TVs with AI capabilities.

“The Gemini upgrade, due to roll out later this year, will allow users to hold back-and-forth conversations with third-party TVs without the need to use the “Hey Google” trigger phrase for each command, Google showed in a demo for reporters. The company also showcased the ability to more naturally call up content, such as asking for videos from a recent trip that were saved to a user’s Google Photos account.”

TVs are a key area for Google, especially as its world-leading YouTube service is being consumed more on TVs than ever before. Not to mention its Google TV offerings of course.

“The update marks the first time Google is bringing Gemini to third-party TV sets running its OS, such as those from Sony Group Corp., Hisense Home Appliances Group Co. and TCL Technology Group Corp., after debuting some of that functionality on its first-party streaming box last year. The firm’s Google TV platform competes with other major television operating systems, including those from Samsung Electronics Co., Amazon.com Inc. and Roku Inc.”

And of course some more AI bells and whistles:

“Google also gave an early preview of a new “always-on” mode for a slate of TVs that use sensors to determine if a user is approaching and show them information they may find useful. The system, for instance, could show someone customized news, weather forecasts and other items when they are in the vicinity of their TV. TCL in late 2025 will be the first manufacturer to offer this always-on mode, followed by Hisense in 2026.”

Of course we will see AI related CES news from most of the other big tech companies over the next few days. But this new year, we’ll see AI scale to mainstream devices of all types in bigger volumes in this AI Tech Wave. Stay tuned.

(NOTE: The discussions here are for information purposes only, and not meant as investment advice at any time. Thanks for joining us here)