Prime Highlights
Netflix is introducing a ChatGPT-powered search engine to improve TV show and movie recommendations based on user emotional state and natural language input.
The feature is already out in beta for iOS users in Australia and New Zealand, with rollout in the U.S. to occur soon.
Key Facts
The AI search tool enables people to find content with conversational inputs instead of traditional filters.
Developed in collaboration with OpenAI, it is Netflix’s latest AI-powered personalization bet.
The roll-out is limited in scale for now, with the user testing feedback in focus.
Key Background
Netflix has pioneered the application of artificial intelligence in personalizing user experience, particularly content recommendation and interface personalization. Traditionally, its recommendation engine considers user behavior, watch history, ratings, and likes to give personalized recommendations. Its AI tools are behind what recommends content to users that corresponds to about 80% of the content streamed on the website. These are systems that combine collaborative filtering with deep learning, which is then used to scan for patterns about what people tend to like and enjoy, be it genres, themes, and actors.
As a next step, Netflix now is experimenting with a next-gen search engine, powered by technology from OpenAI, which lets users search more naturally. Instead of entering a show title or navigating categories, users can now search such as “a funny movie to watch on a lazy Sunday” or “a show with a strong female lead.” This natural language processing approach seeks to fill the gap between the way humans conceive of content and the way content is currently categorized.
This feature is being beta-tested now for iOS users in Australia and New Zealand. Netflix is calling it an opt-in feature, i.e., users will be able to opt in or not. Depending on the reception of the feedback, the company plans to further refine the tool and release it on more platforms, including presumably a rollout to US users sometime in the near future. No announcement has yet been made regarding its release on Android, smart TVs, or desktop platforms.
Netflix’s move emphasizes a broader industry trend where AI is taking center stage in user engagement efforts. With massive content libraries, the problem isn’t hosting great shows and movies, but getting users to easily find something they’ll like. The new ChatGPT-powered search aims to offer smarter, more intuitive discovery and improve user satisfaction.
As ongoing innovation occurs in AI tech, Netflix’s use of conversational search could be the new norm by which streaming services connect people and stories they adore.
