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Short answer: DIRECTV is partnering with Glance to add an AI-powered interactive screensaver to compatible Gemini devices. After roughly 10 minutes of inactivity, the screen may show personalized entertainment, news, weather, sports and shopping scenes. You can optionally scan a QR code, authenticate on your phone and upload a selfie to create an AI avatar that appears in generated scenes. You do not need to upload a selfie to watch ordinary DIRECTV programming.
What DIRECTV and Glance announced
DIRECTV and Glance announced Glance AI interactive content and commerce screensavers for DIRECTV Gemini streaming devices, with a planned rollout in early 2026. The service is intended to turn an idle television into a personalized mix of entertainment, news, shopping and creative experiences.
The announcement does not establish a final nationwide launch date, firmware version or complete list of eligible regions. Those details can change, so owners should check DIRECTV or Glance notices for their specific device and location.
How the AI screensaver starts
It appears during idle time
Ars Technica reported that Glance appears after a Gemini device has been idle for about 10 minutes. The feature is associated with the screensaver or idle-screen experience, rather than with the normal channel feed.
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- Leave a compatible Gemini device idle until the Glance screen appears.
- Scan the QR code shown on the television with a phone.
- Authenticate with a phone number or email address when prompted.
- Choose whether to use the generative-AI avatar feature and, if so, upload a selfie.
- Use the phone, remote or voice controls to explore scenes and adjust clothing or visual styles, where supported.
The QR-code flow also provides the route for shopping and other interactions that are inconvenient to complete with a television remote.
Will DIRECTV put your actual face in an ad?
No. The reported feature creates an AI-generated avatar from an image you provide; it is not described as displaying an unaltered live photograph of you. That avatar can be placed into generated scenes, including fashion or lifestyle concepts, and can appear in short AI-generated videos reported to be about 30 seconds long.
Creating the avatar is an optional, opt-in module. Glance’s DIRECTV FAQ distinguishes it from the default interactive wallpapers and says generative-AI/avatar functions require phone or email authentication. You can therefore use the screensaver without submitting a selfie, provided the feature is available on your device and in your region.
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Which DIRECTV equipment is involved?
| Device or installation | What is established |
|---|---|
| DIRECTV Gemini Air | An Android TV USB streaming device supplied to internet customers; identified as part of the affected Gemini family. |
| Gemini set-top boxes | Boxes used with satellite installations; identified as part of the affected Gemini family. |
| Other DIRECTV equipment | Eligibility is not established. The public announcement does not provide a complete model, firmware or regional list. |
Existing Gemini devices previously used Google wallpaper screensavers. Whether a particular box receives Glance can depend on software, market and deployment timing.
What can appear on the screen?
Announced and reported examples include:
- Lifestyle, travel, health, automotive and seasonal scenes
- Local-trend content
- Real-time weather and sports information
- Entertainment and news recommendations
- Generated shopping scenes featuring your avatar
These are intended uses and product descriptions, not independently measured guarantees about accuracy, personalization or usefulness.
How shopping and checkout work
Finding products
Glance says viewers can explore looks shown in generated scenes. Reporting describes reverse-image matching that can help identify similar products; a Glance executive told Ars Technica that the system could match against 1 trillion stock-keeping units, a company claim rather than an independent measurement.
Rank #3
- HD streaming made simple: With America’s number 1 TV streaming platform,* exploring popular apps—plus tons of free movies, shows, and live TV—is as easy as it is fun. *Based on hours streamed—Hypothesis Group
- Compact without compromises: The sleek design of Roku Streaming Stick won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, and it even powers from your TV alone, plugging into the back and staying out of sight. No wall outlet, no extra cords, no clutter.
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- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
Completing a purchase
The television is not the checkout terminal. A product link or QR workflow hands the transaction to a phone or another device, where the retailer’s purchase process takes place.
How Glance may be paid
Glance’s FAQ says it may receive a fee in many cases when it sends a customer to a brand or store. The cited public material does not state a commission rate, tracking arrangement or open affiliate-enrollment process, so the commercial terms are not publicly specified.
Can you turn Glance off?
Glance’s DIRECTV FAQ provides instructions for turning the experience on or off, subject to device and regional support. The exact menu labels may vary by Gemini hardware and software version. The generative-AI/avatar module is separately described as opt-in, so declining that module avoids the selfie-based personalization even if interactive wallpapers remain enabled.
Rank #4
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If your box does not show the relevant setting, verify that it is a supported Gemini device and that its software is current, then consult DIRECTV or Glance support for the model-specific path.
What is known—and still unclear—about privacy and performance?
- Known: A selfie is not required for ordinary viewing; avatar generation requires an explicit opt-in flow with phone or email authentication.
- Known: The experience is designed for idle screens and can move shopping activity to a phone or other device.
- Not established: The public announcement does not provide a complete retention period, deletion process, model-training policy or regional eligibility list for selfie data.
- Not established: No independent performance study is cited for recommendation quality, product-match accuracy or advertising outcomes.
Glance’s FAQ reports a 2025 trial in which viewers spent 200 minutes across three sessions per day on a one-million-TV sample. That is a provider-reported trial figure, not an independent study, and it does not predict how long every viewer will use the feature.
What this means for viewers
The practical change is an interactive idle screen, not a requirement to provide biometric-looking material to keep watching DIRECTV. If you opt in, your selfie can become an AI-styled avatar used in generated shopping or entertainment scenes. If you do not opt in, the service can still present non-avatar wallpapers and recommendations where supported. Launch timing, device coverage and controls remain the variables to verify when DIRECTV begins deployment.
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