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Netflix is testing new AI tools to help users find relevant content faster. Photo: Bloomberg . |
Netflix has just revealed plans to apply AI generation to help users find relevant content faster within the platform's vast library. However, this move has also revived a years-long debate: Is Netflix's own algorithm making viewers feel like there's "nothing worth watching"?
Speaking at the Bloomberg Tech conference in San Francisco on June 3rd, Elizabeth Stone, Netflix's Chief Product and Technology Officer, said the company is experimenting with a range of new technologies, including generative AI, natural language processing, and voice-controlled interfaces.
According to Ms. Stone, the goal is to help users overcome "content overload" when faced with thousands of different movies and shows. The new system will combine viewing history, personal preferences, trending topics, and even natural voice commands to understand what users want to watch at any given time.
"There's so much content right now. How do I figure out what's right for me, and what's right for me at this moment?" Ms. Stone questioned.
However, many analysts believe that the increasing difficulty users face in finding their favorite content on Netflix is a consequence of the very recommendation model the platform has built over the years.
Netflix's algorithm doesn't suggest good movies.
Netflix has long been considered one of the pioneers in using data to personalize entertainment experiences. Every movie that appears on the homepage is the result of a series of calculations based on viewing history, viewing duration, search behavior, and user habits.
However, according to The Guardian 's analysis, the algorithm was not designed to find works of artistic excellence. Instead, its goal was to find content that is most likely to keep viewers engaged for the longest time.
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This leads to an obvious consequence: films that are easy to understand, less controversial, follow familiar formulas, and appeal to a wide audience are often preferred over experimental or unconventional works.
Bela Bajaria, Netflix's Chief Content Officer, calls this a "gourmet cheeseburger" strategy, meaning creating a product that's appealing enough to please as many people as possible, rather than targeting a small audience with specific tastes.
Research by analyst Stephen Follows shows that just 7% of the top-rated titles on Netflix account for 50% of total viewership. This concentration is even higher than in the traditional film market.
According to critics, when users are constantly presented with content similar to films they've already seen, their entertainment tastes gradually become "flattened." As a result, many viewers feel that Netflix films are becoming increasingly similar, easy to watch but also easy to forget.
AI doesn't necessarily help find better movies.
In this context, Netflix views AI as the next step in its content recommendation system.
Instead of relying solely on historical data, AI can understand more complex requests such as "I want to watch a relaxing movie after work" or "a movie similar to Stranger Things but less scary." This technology is expected to help users shorten search time and increase their chances of finding relevant content.
However, some experts argue that AI could also exacerbate the problem.
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Netflix hopes that AI can understand viewers' needs and moods at any given time to provide more personalized recommendations. Photo: The Verge. |
If AI continues to be trained on the same dataset and with the same goal of optimizing viewing time, it may prioritize formulas that have proven effective for the majority. This means that safe, familiar content will continue to be pushed to the top, while novel or experimental works will be harder to reach audiences.
Beyond simply suggesting content, AI is now being used by many entertainment companies to create promotional visuals, personalize trailers, analyze scripts, and predict audience reactions before a project is greenlit.
With Netflix, AI can help users find movies faster amidst a vast sea of content. But for skeptics, the more important question is whether this technology will help create better movies or just make everything more similar.
If the second scenario occurs, AI will not solve the viewer choice crisis. It will only help users find similar movies faster.
Source: https://znews.vn/vi-sao-netflix-luon-de-xuat-phim-do-post1657220.html
