Telenet is adding AI-powered natural language search to the voice control on its Telenet TV-box, promising faster discovery across live TV and integrated streaming apps with results shown in a visual, on-screen overview.
The Belgian operator said it launched voice search in 2019 and now claims to be the first in the country to enhance the feature with AI, as audiences struggle to navigate an increasingly fragmented mix of channels, packs and apps. Voice search is currently used around 200,000 times per week, typically for programme titles, actor names or to jump to a channel.
With the AI upgrade, subscribers can ask more detailed questions in everyday language, with the platform translating them into searches by theme, genre, actors or even locations. Examples given by Telenet include requests such as “I’m looking for a funny movie starring Tom Hanks” and “Show me the movie where someone says: ‘May the Force be with you.’”
Telenet said the feature will first launch in a Dutch-language beta, with customers able to sign up to trial it, ahead of a broader roll-out to all Telenet TV-box customers in 2026. The company added that not all streaming services are integrated into the smart search at this stage.
