Google Gemini Is Now Part of Kaun Banega Crorepati, Explained
India's biggest TV quiz show now has AI built into the format. Google and Sony Pictures Networks India have added Gemini to Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), hosted by Amitabh Bachchan: a Gemini-powered hint lifeline called Sanket Suchak, on-air trivia you can follow up on your phone, a daily question and a playable quiz in the Gemini app. Updated October 30, 2026: here is what each feature does, how to try it, and what it tells us about how AI companies reach new users.
⚡ Quick facts
- Partnership: announced by Sony Pictures Networks India and Google on July 10, 2026, for the new KBC season
- New lifeline: Sanket Suchak gives contestants a Gemini hint rather than the answer
- At home: scan the on-screen QR code to see the answer and ask follow-ups in the Gemini app
- Try it: prompt Gemini with “Start the @KBC quiz” for a 16-question hot-seat-style quiz
- Where: Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV; Variety reports the integration is for the Hindi version
How the partnership started
The deal was announced on July 10, 2026, per Indian Broadcasting World and Advanced Television. Gemini's first job was practical: answering questions about KBC registration and eligibility, and helping hopefuls prepare general-knowledge topics. Google India later said millions of registration-related queries had been answered in Gemini. The on-air features followed once the season was under way.
Sanket Suchak: a hint, not an answer
Per Indian Television, Sanket Suchak is a Gemini-powered lifeline that gives the contestant a hint intended to help them reason towards the right option, rather than revealing it. That is a deliberate design choice: the show keeps the drama of the contestant's own decision, and Gemini is positioned as a study aid rather than an oracle.
Trivia, Sanket Sawaal and the Gemini quiz
During episodes, Amitabh Bachchan puts a trivia question to Gemini and a QR code appears on screen. Viewers can scan it to see the answer in the Gemini app and ask follow-up questions. Sanket Sawaal is a daily question with Gemini-assisted hints; top performers can be invited to the studio audience. Separately, typing "Start the @KBC quiz" in the Gemini app launches a 16-question quiz modelled on the show, with explanations for questions you get wrong. According to Variety, the integration currently covers the Hindi version of the show.
Our take: why this is smart distribution
- It meets people where they are. KBC reaches tens of millions of viewers, many of whom have never opened an AI chatbot.
- Hints fit the show and the tool. Using Gemini for reasoning help, not answers, suits both a quiz format and a learning product.
- The QR code is the funnel. Each scan turns a TV moment into a Gemini app session, which is the real goal for Google.
- Check the facts it gives you. Chatbots can still get trivia wrong, so treat Gemini's explanations as a starting point.
- Expect copycats. Quiz and game-show formats elsewhere are likely to try similar AI tie-ins.
For more on AI built for Indian users and languages, see our explainers on Google AI Mode in Hindi and Sarvam AI's sovereign LLM.
Sources
- Indian Television: Google brings Gemini into KBC this season
- Indian Broadcasting World: Google Gemini will guide KBC participants
- Advanced Television: Google India and SPNI partner for KBC
- Variety: KBC adds Google Gemini as AI guide
Frequently asked questions
What is Sanket Suchak on KBC?
A Gemini-powered lifeline that gives a contestant a hint to help them reason towards the right answer, instead of revealing it.
How do I play the KBC quiz on Gemini?
Open the Gemini app and type "Start the @KBC quiz". It launches a 16-question hot-seat-style quiz with explanations for answers you get wrong.
What is Sanket Sawaal?
A daily question with Gemini-assisted hints. Top performers can be invited to watch KBC in the studio.
How does the QR code feature work?
When Amitabh Bachchan asks Gemini a trivia question on air, a QR code appears. Scanning it opens the answer in the Gemini app, where you can ask follow-up questions.
When did Google and KBC partner?
Sony Pictures Networks India and Google announced the partnership on July 10, 2026, starting with help on registration, eligibility and quiz preparation.
Is the Gemini integration available in every language?
Variety reports it is currently for the Hindi version of the show.