OpenAI-powered search is now recommending shows, movies on Netflix
What's the story
Netflix is testing a new search feature, powered by OpenAI, according to a report by Bloomberg. The innovative tool is designed to improve user experience by letting subscribers search for shows with more specific terms, even including their mood. The new feature also lets users make queries going beyond genres or actor names. Currently, it is being trialed in Australia and New Zealand on iOS.
Expansion
Feature expansion and future plans
Confirming the accuracy of Bloomberg's report, a Netflix spokesperson, MoMo Zhou, told The Verge that the testing phase will be expanded to the US "in the coming weeks and months." However, there are no current plans for the feature's availability outside of iOS. "It's early days for the feature and we're really in a learn and listen phase for this beta," Zhou added.
AI utilization
Netflix's history with AI and machine learning
In a past interview on the Decoder podcast, Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters had talked about the company's decades-long use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in their recommender systems. He had emphasized that their job is to proactively understand technical innovation and use it to serve creators better and provide improved user experiences.