Netflix lets viewers find movies based on their mood, and AI Discover begins a small-scale test

Want to watch something light-hearted, want to be shocked, or just want to find a movie suitable for the whole family tonight - Netflix is testing a new entrance AI Discover on the TV to select movies based on such needs.On November 3, a small number of English-speaking American members began to be eligible for testing, and the scope will be gradually expanded in the following weeks.

Netflix calls AI Discover “Test Kitchen”: new movie selection functions can be put into this independent space at an early stage, and then based on user use and feedback, it can determine which practices should be retained, improved, or replaced with new attempts.Some verified functions may later enter the main user interface.

The first version revolves around the theme.Each topic is first previewed with a video clip. Users can choose the direction of “Relax,”Screen Me,“Family Movie Night” or “Short Time Viewing”. They may also see topics related to recent releases, popular content and their recent viewing records.After selection, the system displays matching works and continues to provide more specific topics for people to narrow down. If you don’t like the content in this round, you can click “ to change to something else ” to get recommendations again.

What’s on Netflix watched a live demo before the official announcement, using the files of Netflix employees themselves.Recommendations are generated instantly by AI, and Netflix also stated that it cannot accurately predict in advance which works will appear in the demonstration.After entering a new page, the system combines the content you have recently watched, finished or liked, popular trends, available time and desired emotions to generate topics that may be suitable at the moment.

In the demo, after clicking “Short View”, you can browse the plot synopsis, work information, trailer and cover as usual.There is also a set of AI-generated filter tags below the recommendations, which help further refinement based on the film library, user tastes and system predictions; the presenter then selected “Workplace Comedy”.Netflix sees this step as an opportunity for members to directly tell the system what they want to watch at the moment.

The newly added “Adjust Recommended” button next to the work is placed together with “Play”“My Playlist”.Users can keep recommendations or request that a certain work no longer be recommended.After selecting “not recommended”, you will also be asked whether you are “not interested” or “have seen”, and then the film disappears from the recommendations.Netflix said that these choices will be remembered in AI Discover so that rejected works will not continue to reappear, and more adjustment methods will be added in the future.

These features are powered by what Netflix calls its new Intelligence Layer, built on years of research into personalized recommendations and designed to better understand member tastes and library, determine relevance, and respond to user feedback.Choices made during one visit will also carry over to the next visit.When asked about the specific technology, Netflix did not announce the AI ​​model used, saying only that the first experience only tested part of the capabilities of this intelligent layer.The company also emphasized that members’ choices in AI Discover will not be used to decide what content to produce, but are used for recommendations.

This test only covers TVs, US regions and English-speaking users that support this feature. Netflix did not disclose the number of users.Qualified standard profiles can see the “Discover” entry marked with “New” with a red gem icon in the top navigation of the TV. This feature is not available for child profiles.Users cannot actively apply to join; after being included, they cannot exit the test or remove the homepage entrance, but they can not use it.

Netflix said it will post help center instructions listing compatible TVs and other details.As for when the mobile version, other languages ​​and other countries will be launched, there are currently no further arrangements to be announced.

The first version does not have a text box for entering prompt words, nor does it have a chat function.Users are currently unable to directly request “Nordic crime dramas with a romantic atmosphere”, and can only filter through the themes step by step.Netflix explained that entering text on TV is relatively cumbersome, so let the theme predict the needs first and try to complete the selection with as few operations as possible.The company mentioned improvements to voice functions and AI natural language search to shareholders this year, but this does not mean it has announced the form in which they will enter the TV version of AI Discover.

In May 2025, Netflix announced an iOS generative AI search test that users voluntarily participated in. They could enter daily expressions such as “Want to watch interesting and enjoyable content”.According to What’s on Netflix, this new TV portal directly absorbs the experience of mobile testing, paying special attention to simple operations and immediate needs; recommendations will also refer to the results of similar technologies on the mobile terminal.

When Netflix tests different solutions, users with the same entrance may not see the same experience.The company did not announce a specific roadmap, but mentioned that in the future it may explore different aspects of members' tastes, different elements that make up stories, and then recommend other content based on specific ingredients in a favorite work. It will try more methods especially in the New Year.

In 2013, Netflix provided American PlayStation 3 users with a movie selection guide called Max, which was similar to a game show. It first asked about mood and preferences, and then recommended programs.What’s on Netflix believes that the new entrance continues this type of thinking; the media welcomes the experimentation of film selection methods in the independent space, and is also optimistic about the small changes of % no longer recommending certain films. It also pointed out that generative AI is very controversial in Hollywood, and this function may cause online opposition.

Netflix also announced another TV interface test on the same day: moving the navigation back to the left side of the screen to make room for more product cards.The company plans to continue announcing testing and product news through the end of the year.