Netflix's new AI search feature makes it easier to find what to watch

Netflix offers an extensive selection of films and shows, yet the only filter available to narrow your search is genre. However, an AI-enabled feature could make your browsing experience much easier. 

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The company has announced a new search feature that allows users to describe the content they want to watch using conversational terms and descriptions. OpenAI’s generative AI models power this AI-enhanced search feature, made most commonly known by the company’s AI chatbot, ChatGPT. 

Search is a popular use of generative AI models, as their natural language processing capabilities allow people to use conversational phrases instead of generic keywords — and that’s true with this new AI-enabled feature. For example, instead of looking up “comedy,” users could now search for “I want something funny and upbeat,” according to Netflix. 

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Before you get too excited, the experience is not yet available for all users. The upgraded search is first rolling out on iOS in a small opt-in beta, with plans to expand to more devices soon. However, if you like the experience, other streaming services and TV operating systems have recently unveiled similar systems. 

For example, at CES, Google replaced its TV Google Assistant with Gemini, making the tool a much more capable virtual assistant that better understands conversational requests to provide improved assistance. As early as 2023, Tubi added a similar conversational text search feature for mobile. 

If your TV or streaming platform doesn’t have an AI-enabled search feature, you can always use your favorite chatbot to mimic the experience. For example, you can type into ChatGPT, “Find me a rom-com shot in the early 2000s available to watch on Netflix in the US,” and the bot will provide a list of choices. 

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Since the chatbot is not internally connected to Netflix, it may not reference the most up-to-date version of its catalog, but it could point you in the right direction.