Streaming service HBO Max has added a vertical feed of short videos, HBO Max Shorts, to its mobile app and begun testing artificial intelligence-powered conversational search. The updates are designed to make it easier to navigate its vast library of content and help viewers choose movies and TV shows faster.
Streaming service HBO Max has added a vertical feed of short videos, HBO Max Shorts, to its mobile app and begun testing artificial intelligence-powered conversational search. The updates are designed to make it easier to navigate its vast library of content and help viewers choose movies and TV shows faster.
Warner Bros. Discovery announced the rollout of new experimental features.
A new Shorts tab in the app’s bottom navigation opens a feed of trailers, show snippets, and bonus content. The algorithm generates a personalized selection based on a user’s viewing history. If a video catches their attention, viewers can start watching the full episode right away or add it to their «Watch Later» list.
The company uses a hybrid model to curate its content. Its proprietary AI tool analyzes scene-level metadata across thousands of hours of movies and TV shows, identifying the most spectacular moments. HBO Max editors then select the best snippets for publication.
In parallel, the streaming service is testing a dialog search feature based on natural language understanding technology. It allows you to find titles based on descriptions of mood or plot, for example, by searching for «drama about a dysfunctional family» or «best movie for an evening with friends.»
Shorts is currently available to select iOS users in the U.S., and conversational search is being tested with select Android users in the same region. Warner Bros. Discovery plans to expand these capabilities to other devices and markets over time.
The introduction of short vertical videos has become a trend among streaming platforms competing for audience attention with social networks. Similar snippet feeds have already been integrated by Netflix, Disney+, and Peacock.
