YouTube’s Smart TV app now includes AI tools like Ask, summaries, and highlights – here’s how to actually use them at home.

Most of us don’t really watch YouTube anymore – it’s more like half-watching, half-scrolling, half-Googling whatever just popped up on screen.

Now, YouTube is trying to clean that up. Its latest Smart TV update quietly folds in Google Gemini, adding a set of built-in tools that let you interact with videos in real time, without the need for a phone, or extra tabs.

The main addition is a new “Ask” button, sitting alongside the usual playback controls.

Hit it, hold down the mic on your remote, and you can ask questions about whatever you’re watching – summaries, key points, who’s on screen, or even just “what did I miss?” It’s simple, but it cuts out a lot of the usual friction.

Beyond that, the update leans into small quality-of-life fixes. You’ll see AI-generated summaries on longer videos, highlight sections you can jump between, and more specific recommendations on your home screen, so less generic “Music” and more niche rabbit holes based on what you actually watch.

It’s not a total overhaul, but it does make the app feel a bit more responsive to how people are already using it.

Here’s how to use it
Make sure your app is updated.
Head to your TV’s app store (Google TV, Apple TV, Samsung, LG) and update YouTube to the latest version.
Open a video and bring up the controls.
Press Up or Down on your remote while a video is playing.
Look for the “Ask” (sparkle) icon.
It’ll sit near the Like/Dislike buttons on the progress bar.
Use your voice
Hold down the microphone button on your remote and ask:

“Summarise this video”

“What are the key points?”

“Who is this?”

“Show me more like this”

Try summaries and highlights

If available, you’ll see options to:

Read a quick summary.

Jump between key moments.

Catch up on livestreams.

Let the homepage do its thing.

Recommendations will update automatically based on what you’re watching – no setup needed.

That’s it. Just a few extra tools that make it easier to get through (or skip through) whatever you’ve got on.