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Bright 20 October 2026

Smart folks make smart TVs dumber with AI

Smart folks make smart TVs dumber with AI

The rise of smart TVs has significantly improved the viewing experience in many households. However, these modern televisions also bring a downside: commercialization. Smart TVs are often filled with advertisements that can disrupt the viewing experience, leading to growing dissatisfaction among users. This issue has inspired developers to find innovative solutions that, paradoxically, aim to make these smart devices "dumber."

By utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), developers have created methods to diminish the functionality of smart TVs. This means they can temporarily disable certain smart features that typically enrich the viewing experience. The goal is to relieve the commercial pressure on viewers by offering them a more unregulated and undisturbed viewing experience. Instead of users continually encountering ads, these development strategies create an environment where the viewer has more control over their media consumption.

The use of AI to make smart TVs less 'smart' also touches on broader issues surrounding privacy and data exploitation. Virtually every interaction with smart TVs is collected and analyzed, raising concerns about user data. By reducing smart functionalities, viewers can enjoy a more authentic and less personalized viewing experience, free from constant data collection.

This development offers an interesting perspective on the future of consumer technology. It suggests that a balance can be struck between enjoying advanced technologies and retaining control over one's viewing experience. The evolution of smart TVs under the influence of AI highlights the necessity of placing the user at the center of the design of future technologies.

Read the full article from Bright.