We’ve all been there—sitting and staring at row after row of Netflix categories, trying to find something new to watch. I’ve browsed Netflix so much, I feel like I’ve scrolled for shows more than I’ve actually streamed them.
Netflix has offered many solutions to try and help solve the video browsing blues, from the streaming’s famous algorithm to the “play something” button. Now, Netflix has a new tool to help you find the perfect movie or show—and yes, AI has entered the chat, quite literally.
Coming soon as a “small” opt-in only beta for the Netflix iOS app, Netflix’s new AI chatbot will help you search for videos using “natural, conversational phrases” rather than just sifting through rows and rows of categories.
For example, you’ll be able to type “Something funny and upbeat” or “I want something scary, but not too scary” into the chat box, and Netflix’s AI bot will serve up a list of suggestions, and with a comment like “Good vibes only: These comedies will leave you smiling, laughing or both.”
Similar to ChatGPT and other gen-AI platforms, there will also be preset search phrases you can tap, such as “I need a good cry,” “what’s new in true crime,” and “stories about dancers.”
So, how will searching Netflix with an AI chatbot be different from simply using regular search? Good question. For its part, Netflix says the bot will be more amenable to subtle search phrases, like “I want something funny, but not ha-ha funny” that won’t quite work as a typical search term.
Will Netflix’s AI chatbot be truly useful, though, or might it hallucinate answers (“Yes, Sinners is available to stream right now”)? It’ll take some kicking of the tires to find out, thus the small beta test.
Besides the AI chatbot, Netflix is rolling out extensive changes for its home page, including moving shortcuts like Search and My List from the left-hand side of the interface to the top (yes, it’s another case of a streamer rejiggering its home page).
Also coming are more visible callout bugs (“Emmy Award Winner,” “#1 in TV Shows”), home-page recommendations that are “more responsive to your moods and interests,” and a “clean and more modern design.”
Finally, a TikTok-style vertical feed stuffed with clips from Netflix shows and movies is coming to mobile devices in the “coming weeks.” The feed will let you tap a video to watch it immediately, add it to My List, or share it with others.
