Roku’s adding AI search and (hopefully) better recommendations

Roku is introducing new AI-powered voice search capabilities for its smart TVs and streaming players. The upgraded voice search will allow for more conversational queries, such as asking about the plot of a specific movie or the scariness level of a film. Roku is also adding features like "What do you like to watch?" to personalize home screen recommendations, live sports scores, and a search function in the live TV guide. Unlike Amazon and Google, Roku is focusing its AI efforts solely on entertainment-related features, tailoring the responses to the TV experience. The company is using a combination of in-house and commercial AI technology for this new voice assistant. Other upcoming Roku updates include trailer links, mobile app improvements, and Bluetooth support for wireless headphones on the Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus devices. Roku is also expanding its hardware offerings with a new $198 portable projector and additional Roku TV brands. The new software features are expected to roll out in the coming months, though the exact timeline is unclear.