MUMBAI: The remote is evolving and now it talks back. Gracenote, part of Nielsen, has found that while AI is rapidly changing how audiences discover what to watch, trust in those recommendations is still catching up. In its latest report, TV Search and Discovery in the AI Era, Gracenote highlights a clear shift towards chatbot-led discovery, particularly among younger viewers. Usage of chatbots has surged across demographics, with 66 per cent of respondents reporting increased use over the past 12 to 18 months. Among Gen Alpha (ages 13 and 14), that number climbs to 80 per cent, with more than half using chatbots daily.
That behavioural shift is already influencing entertainment choices. Nearly 49 per cent of Gen Alpha respondents now consider AI chatbots the best source for TV and movie recommendations comfortably ahead of streaming interfaces and program guides (41 per cent) and traditional search engines (11 per cent). Across all age groups, 57 per cent say chatbots could become, or already are, their preferred way to find out what, where and when to watch.
But while AI is winning on convenience, it is still trailing on credibility. Users prefer chatbots for complex queries (68 per cent versus 19 per cent for traditional search), follow-ups (69 per cent versus 18 per cent), direct answers (54 per cent versus 31 per cent) and comprehensive results (50 per cent versus 30 per cent). Yet when it comes to trust and accuracy, traditional search retains the edge, with 50 per cent rating it more trustworthy compared to 27 per cent for chatbots, and 46 per cent favouring it for accuracy against 33 per cent.
That hesitation is reflected in user behaviour. Around three in four respondents say they verify chatbot responses most often by cross-checking with search engines. In entertainment-specific use cases, 92 per cent rated traditional search accuracy as good or excellent, compared to 85 per cent for AI. Among Gen Alpha, however, the gap narrows significantly, with 95 per cent rating chatbot results favourably versus 99 per cent for search.
Industry observers see this as a transitional moment. As Tyler Bell, SVP of Product at Gracenote, notes, adoption alone is not enough, the real differentiator will be trust, driven by reliable, timely and high-quality data.
The findings arrive as streaming platforms grapple with content overload. With libraries expanding across services, audiences are spending more time deciding what to watch, making discovery tools increasingly critical. For media companies, the takeaway is straightforward: the future of viewing may be conversational, but it will only stick if audiences believe what they are being told.
In other words, AI might help you find your next show but it still needs to convince you it’s worth pressing play.