How to Activate Google TV's AI-Powered 'News Briefs' on Streamer and Chromecast

Summary of the Article

Starting from April 21, 2025, Google TV users can enable a new feature called 'News Briefs' on Ambient mode. This feature, powered by Gemini AI, provides top news headlines and brief summaries directly on your screen without needing to interact with other apps or devices.

How to Enable News Briefs:

1. Open Quick Settings Panel: Access the Quick Settings panel from your Google TV home screen.
2. Navigate to Screensaver Settings: Select 'Screensaver' and then press the down arrow to change screensavers.
3. Access Ambient Mode Settings: Choose 'Settings' at the bottom of the menu.
4. Enable Top News Option: Scroll down to find and enable the 'Top news' option. Google mentions that this is an experimental AI feature that can occasionally make mistakes, and it may include violent or disturbing content.

Features of News Briefs:

• Display on Ambient Mode: A TOP NEWS card with a blue background appears in the top-left corner, showing headlines and their recency.
• Interactive Headlines: You can cycle through different news stories and press 'OK' to listen to a brief summary read aloud.
• More Information: Press the arrow down key to see additional details or related content from YouTube.

Google TV Streamer and Chromecast with Google TV are currently receiving this update, while third-party devices might not have it yet. The article also mentions other recent developments in the Google TV ecosystem, such as price drops on the Google TV Streamer and new requirements for remotes.