As anyone who’s spent a night looking through the catalog can attest, that vision hasn’t panned out, so now Netflix is turning to AI for help. A new experimental “AI Discover” feature will ask users what type of programming they want (with options like “Family Movie Night,” “Scare Me,” or “Quick Watches”) and then display a group of videos to choose from. The feature is rolling out to small groups of US users and appears as an option in the top navigation bar.
Maybe AI will finally make Netflix’s vision a reality. The most likely outcome, however, is that it represents another way among many to peruse Netflix’s extensive catalog. While the company tries to prevent engagement from slowing down, the algorithm alone is not enough.
Beyond the algorithm
AI Discover is not Netflix’s first attempt to revolutionize content discovery beyond its ranks of algorithmic recommendations.
In 2020, Netflix debuted daily Top 10 lists of its most-watched movies and shows, an acknowledgment that people want to know what others are watching rather than getting stuck in their own bubbles. The feature must have proven popular, as it remains a fixture of the Netflix home screen and has since been replicated by most other major streaming services.
Netflix has also played into helping users tune into specific genres. In 2022, it added a dedicated “Categories” menu, and while it disappeared last year as part of a broader interface overhaul, Netflix may not be done with the idea of genre-based viewing. During the summer, the Wall Street Journal reported that Netflix is considering a lineup of linear streaming channels for different genres, in a nod to both traditional cable and free streaming services.
Meanwhile, Netflix has attempted to let people bypass its home screen entirely with a “Play Something” button (later called “Surprise Me”), which was intended to cure analysis paralysis by jumping directly to a random unfinished show, watchlist item, or personalized recommendation. Netflix made a big deal about the feature when it launched in 2021, even teasing it ahead of time on an earnings call, but then removed it because not enough people were using it.
