David Bridges
Netflix AI Discover is a test of themed recommendations that aims to help viewers find a show or movie with less scrolling.
Netflix is testing AI Discover, an AI-powered recommendation feature in its TV app, to help viewers spend less time scrolling and find shows and movies to watch. The company describes AI Discover as a testbed for features that could become part of the main Netflix experience. If the feature is available on an account, a Discover tab with a red gem icon appears in the top navigation bar.
Theme-based recommendations are the first feature being tested in AI Discover. The tab presents themes alongside a relevant clip from a show or movie, including suggestions based on who is watching, what viewers feel like watching or how much time they have. Themes may also feature new or popular titles and recommendations based on recent viewing.
Viewers can choose a theme and then refine the results with more specific options. They can also refresh the selection of themes shown by AI Discover.
Recommendation controls let viewers tell Netflix not to suggest a particular title again and add titles to their list. These options allow viewers to exclude unwanted recommendations or save titles they may want to watch.
Netflix says AI helps generate the themes and explain the results. The company says AI Discover uses an intelligence layer that responds to members’ input in real time and continues learning.
AI Discover availability is initially limited to supported TVs in the US, with the feature offered in English. Netflix says it plans to make the tool available to more people gradually in the coming weeks. The feature does not appear on kids profiles, according to Variety.
Netflix recommendation features have included shuffle play, an OpenAI-powered chatbot tested with a redesign last year and the Max tool introduced more than a decade ago. AI Discover is the latest attempt to help viewers find something to watch more quickly.
Daniel Mercer
Ethan Carter
