DirecTV needs your face in its new AI screensaver advert

For those who’ve ever thought to your self that AI-powered dystopianism is not fairly as pervasive because it must be, then DirecTV has you lined. The US-based tv supplier is planning on injecting a dose of AI-generated screensaver know-how into your video feed, in what seems to be an all-new (and extremely questionable) model of commercial supply.

In particular, DirecTV is collaborating with AI firm Look on this endeavor, bringing to life a brand new system that is powered by Google Gemini underneath the hood. Look is able to delivering dynamically adjustable “AI-powered content material and commerce screensavers” to your TV throughout occasions of idle.

In actual phrases, this equates to an interactive on-screen AI avatar feed of your self, with the choice to swap out numerous purchasable units of clothes, furnishings, and extra on the fly. AI information, suggestions, sports activities and climate updates, and native tendencies are additionally set to debut as a part of this new setup.

“With Look AI, TV screensavers turn out to be a sensible content material discovery, personalization, and AI-commerce expertise. DirecTV audiences who stream TV by means of our Gemini units will now get the chance to reimagine their interactions with their TV display screen, with personalised content material, leisure, information, and buying suggestions in actual time,” says Vikash Sharma, SVP, Product Advertising and marketing at DirecTV in a blog post.

This Look AI screensaver expertise is about to roll out totally to DirecTV customers in early 2026, and it will be solely accessible to clients with DirecTV Gemini {hardware}. It is unclear whether or not there will likely be any approach to decide out of the expertise as soon as it does land in customers’ houses.

Screensavers meet AI-commerce

DirecTV is taking part in a high-risk, high-reward recreation

I’m a big fan of screensavers, notably the tranquil ones that promote a way of calm in my in any other case digitally cluttered dwelling atmosphere. So as to add aesthetic stability to my dwelling, I’ve my Apple TV arrange with a continuing feed of aerial landscape panoramas, and my Home windows 11 PC is configured with t he mesmerizing full-screen Mica app throughout occasions of idle. My Android telephone, too, is commonly perched on its Qi2 wireless charger with the Portal app displaying nature scapes entrance and middle.

My love for screensavers is aware of no bounds, and, for that reason, I am hostile to any and all types of AI-generated e-commerce encroachment. Look and DirecTV are betting that there is actual worth in “a brand new two-way relationship between TV watchers and their idle screens,” however I’ve my doubts.

Whereas it is true that the Look AI screensaver expertise will depend on on-device AI processing, I am unable to assist however really feel uncomfortable with the concept of importing a photograph of myself onto the Look cellular app, and having it gown me up in a set of purchasable merchandise and equipment.

In fact, I may very nicely be within the minority right here, and DirecTV’s choice to swap out the usual Google wallpapers feed with the Look AI interface may show profitable in the long term. A extra interactive set of screensavers would possibly ring a bell with a subset of customers, and, if it does, I can foresee Look ultimately making its approach to the TV programming launcher correct.