Netflix is testing a new AI-powered discovery feature that uses subscribers’ moods and interests to recommend what they might want to watch.

Called AI Discover, the new tab has been introduced on Netflix’s TV app for a subset of subscribers. Users can provide details about what they are in the mood for or the kinds of programming that interest them, prompting the tool to curate a selection of series and films.

The experiment expands on Netflix’s long-running recommendation system rather than replacing it. The company said AI Discover will sit alongside established discovery tools, including the personalized suggestions shaped by titles viewers give a Thumbs Up and the programming they save to “My List.”

“Think of AI Discover as our test kitchen: we’re trying out new recipes for discovery, and your use and feedback help us decide which ones to keep, improve, or serve up next,” Netflix said in a blog post announcing the feature. “Some may even make their way into the main Netflix experience.”

A More Adjustable Recommendation Tool

AI Discover also gives viewers a way to “tune” its recommendations. That includes indicating that they do not want certain films or series included in the selections served to them.

The company presented that flexibility as a response to the different circumstances in which subscribers open the service. A viewer looking for something during a quiet evening may not want the same recommendations as someone planning a family movie night or trying to fill only a few spare minutes.

“There’s more to enjoy and discover on Netflix than ever, but what sounds right for a quiet night in may look different for family movie night or a few spare minutes,” the company said. “We’ve spent years refining how you discover, with recommendations tailored to your tastes, from what you Thumbs Up to what you add to ‘My List.’ Now, AI Discover joins the mix as a new way to explore.”

The test continues a strategy that stretches back to Netflix’s early period as a DVD-by-mail business, when the company was already using technology and algorithms to connect individual subscribers with programming. AI Discover adds direct mood and interest input to that established approach.

The Test Arrives During a Difficult Period

Netflix is rolling out the experiment while dealing with significant personnel and leadership changes. The company laid off about 1,000 employees last month, representing roughly 6% of its workforce. It also parted ways with Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria and several other veteran executives.

Peter Rice, previously a high-level executive at Disney and Fox, joined Netflix to replace Bajaria. He has been assigned the task of helping the company return to its hitmaking form following a couple of years of slower growth.

Recent press reports have also described internal tensions between Netflix’s Silicon Valley-based engineering teams and its Los Angeles programming operation. Although the company’s user interface has long been considered a major strength, executives have reportedly overridden its well-known algorithm more recently to give selected titles or genres a greater push.

That backdrop makes AI Discover more than a routine interface adjustment. The test brings Netflix’s technology-led recommendation history into direct contact with the programming decisions that determine which titles viewers see. For now, however, Netflix is describing the feature as an additional option for browsing, not a wholesale overhaul of its existing system.

ShowBiz Take

AI Discover matters because it gives participating subscribers more explicit influence over Netflix’s recommendations. Instead of relying only on previous viewing signals, a user can communicate what fits a particular moment and can refine the results by excluding unwanted series or films.

The experiment also arrives as Netflix works through executive turnover, layoffs and reported friction between its engineering and programming teams. Against that unsettled backdrop, the company is testing whether more active viewer input can sharpen the process of connecting its programming with individual subscribers.

What Happens Next?

Netflix will use how subscribers engage with AI Discover, along with their feedback, to determine which elements should be retained, improved or tested further. The company has also left open the possibility that some features developed through the experiment could eventually become part of the main Netflix experience.