Netflix tests new OpenAI-powered search, allowing users to find content based on mood and detailed queries, starting with iOS users in Australia and New Zealand.
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| Netflix collaborates with OpenAI to test a new AI search feature that understands mood and nuanced queries, aiming to improve user content discovery. Photo: Unsplash |
LOS ANGELES, California – April 13, 2025:
Netflix has initiated testing of a novel AI-powered search feature, developed in partnership with OpenAI, that allows users to discover content based on their current mood and other highly personalized search parameters. This innovative feature, reported by Bloomberg, aims to move beyond traditional search methods, which are typically limited to genres or actor names, by enabling more nuanced and detailed user inputs.
The trial is currently being conducted on an opt-in basis for select iOS users in Australia and New Zealand. MoMo Zhou, a Netflix spokesperson, confirmed the test to The Verge and indicated plans to extend the feature to U.S. users "in the coming weeks and months." However, there are no immediate plans to roll out this feature on platforms other than iOS.
Zhou described the current phase as an early, experimental period, emphasizing, "We’re in a ‘learn and listen’ period," as Netflix gathers valuable user feedback during the beta test. OpenAI has not yet issued a statement regarding this development.
Netflix has a long-standing history of integrating machine learning and AI into its recommendation algorithms. Co-CEO Greg Peters has previously highlighted the company's commitment to technological innovation, with a focus on leveraging AI to enhance both the creative tools available to storytellers and the overall user experience for subscribers. This new mood-based search feature represents a significant step in that direction, aiming to provide a more intuitive and personalized way for users to find content.