While Netflix offers a huge selection of movies and shows, actually finding something that appeals to you in the moment is a challenge. But that’s why Netflix’s move toward AI search is so exciting: it’ll finally stop the endless scrolling and get to the actual watching much faster.
AI May Help You Decide What to Watch Next
As first reported by Bloomberg, Netflix is testing a new AI-powered search feature. While Netflix already offers subscribers the chance to search for movies and shows they want to watch, it’s currently very focused on specific keywords, whether they’re the name of the film, a particular genre, or the name of an actor. This is why I tend to use Netflix’s secret codes instead.
According to the report, the new AI-powered search feature, which would be provided by OpenAI, would allow viewers to “look for shows using far more specific terms, including the subscriber’s mood.” The options also “go well beyond genres or actors’ names.”
We haven’t been able to test Netflix’s AI-powered search feature yet, but if the streaming service’s claims are legit, this could make it much easier to discover new content worth watching. Because I don’t know about anyone else, but I often want to watch something based on my mood or a feeling rather than a name.
The experiment is currently very limited, with only Netflix subscribers in Australia and New Zealand watching on an iOS device able to access Netflix’s AI-powered search. Even then, the feature is only available to those who specifically opt in to use it, so it isn’t yet being foisted on anyone without their express permission.
Netflix spokesperson MoMo Zhou confirmed to The Verge that the test was taking place. They also stated it would expand to the US “in the coming weeks and months.” Zhou also stated, “It’s early days for the feature, and we’re really in a learn and listen phase for this beta.”
Understanding Viewers’ Needs Is Important
To be honest, using artificial intelligence to help people find what they want to watch next is a bit of a no-brainer, especially as Netflix already has the necessary elements in place. This includes metadata for each piece of content. AI should, in theory, be able to bridge the gap between what a viewer is looking for and what Netflix’s catalog offers.
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It has become a bit of a cliché that people spend so long scrolling through the titles of shows on Netflix that they never actually get around to watching anything. But clichés are almost always based on at least an element of truth. If Netflix’s AI-powered search makes it out of beta testing and becomes available to all, maybe that cliché will finally die.
