Mirror Review
April 14, 2025
Tired of endless scrolling to search your vibe on Netflix? Good news might be on the horizon, though. The streaming giant Netflix Tests New AI Search Engine technology, powered OpenAI (the creators of ChatGPT). This is designed to revolutionize how you discover movies and TV shows. This new feature aims to go far beyond simple searches for titles, actors, or genres, allowing users to find content based on more nuanced queries, including their mood or specific situations.
This move marks a major step in updating content discovery on the platform. Well, we already know Netflix uses AI for its powerful recommendation algorithms and personalized thumbnails. However, this new search functionality promises a more conversational and intuitive way to interact with the vast library.
Here’s What to Expect as Netflix Tests New AI Search Engine:
- Conversational Queries: Use natural, everyday language to describe what you’re looking for.
- Mood-Matching: Find content matching how you feel (e.g., “uplifting movies”, “suspenseful thrillers”, “something funny after a long day”).
- Situation-Specific Search: Search for content based on specific scenarios or vibes (e.g., “movies like [specific title] but with a happy ending”, “hows set in 1980s New York”).
- Beyond Keywords: Move past rigid searches limited to just genres, actors, or directors.
- Deeper Personalization: Combines your natural language query with your viewing history for hyper-relevant results.
- Reduced Scroll Time: Spend less time searching and more time watching content perfectly suited to your current preferences.
- Enhanced Discovery: Uncover hidden gems you might have missed with traditional Browse.
- Intuitive Interaction: A search experience that feels more like asking a knowledgeable friend for a recommendation.
- Powered by Leading AI: Leverages the advanced capabilities of OpenAI’s technology.
- Opt-In Testing: Users in test regions can choose whether to try the new feature.
How the AI Search Works
The magic behind the enhanced search lies in generative AI and natural language processing (NLP). Instead of just matching keywords, the new Netflix AI search engine understands the intent and context behind your query.
- Mood & Vibe: You could type “I want to watch something sad and romantic” or “show me action movies with witty banter”, and the AI aims to understand the feeling or specific elements you’re after, & suggests relevant titles from the Netflix catalog.
- Natural Language: Forget strict search syntax. You can phrase your search conversationally as if you’re asking a person. The system is designed to interpret descriptions like “a documentary about space exploration that’s visually stunning” or “a lighthearted comedy I can watch with my family”.
- Personalized Recommendations: The AI doesn’t just rely on the query itself. It integrates this with Netflix’s existing strength: personalization. It analyzes your past viewing habits, ratings, and preferences to tailor the AI-generated search results, increasing the likelihood you’ll find something you genuinely enjoy.
Current Testing & Future Rollout
This advanced search feature isn’t available to everyone just yet. Netflix has confirmed it’s currently in an early testing phase:
- Regions: Available to a select group of subscribers in Australia and New Zealand.
- Platform: Currently limited to iOS devices.
- Opt-In: Users included in the test need to actively choose to use the new AI search tool.
Netflix has indicated plans to expand the test to other markets, including the United States, in the “coming weeks and months”. They are currently in a “learn and listen phase”, gathering user feedback to make it better before thinking about rolling it out more widely or adding it to other devices like Android or the web interface.
Even as they explore AI like this, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos has previously stated that they see AI as a tool to help creative roles like writers or actors, not replace them. This new Netflix AI search engine represents another step in using tech to enhance user experience, making it potentially easier than ever to find your next favorite show or movie.
