Scrolling through Netflix looking for something to watch has become a running joke for millions of subscribers, and the company knows it.

A new feature rolling out right now in the TV app takes a genuinely different approach to that problem, powered by the same AI technology the company has been quietly developing behind the scenes.

Netflix Rolls Out Test for AI Discover

Netflix shared in its news release earlier today that it is introducing “AI Discover,” a new dedicated tab on its TV app where a limited group of members can try out fresh ways to find their next watch. The feature is currently rolling out in the United States to members who use Netflix in English on supported televisions, with a gradual expansion to more users planned over the coming weeks.

AI Discover is described by Netflix as a test kitchen for discovery experiences, with the company planning to use real usage and feedback from early testers to decide which features to refine, expand, or retire. Some of what works inside AI Discover may eventually be incorporated into the main Netflix app experience, making the test period meaningful beyond the users who get it first.

The initial experience inside AI Discover is built around a theme-based discovery system in which users start by selecting a broad mood or scenario and then narrow down to increasingly specific options until something clicks. Netflix framed this as a direct response to the reality that what someone wants to watch on a quiet solo evening looks very different from what works for a family movie night or a ten-minute window between tasks.

Let Netflix’s AI Help Find Your Next Stream

The discovery process inside AI Discover begins with a visual menu of broad themes, each previewed with a short clip from a relevant show or movie. Themes range across emotional tones, group compositions, and time constraints: options like “Something Light,” “Scare Me,” “Family Movie Night,” and “Quick Watches” give users a starting point that reflects how they are approaching a viewing session rather than asking them to already know what they want.

Once a theme is selected, Netflix surfaces a set of matching recommendations. From there, additional and more specific sub-themes appear, letting users keep narrowing down until something feels right. If none of the initial batch lands, users can choose “Something Different” to get a completely fresh set of recommendations without having to start over from the main theme menu.

Every title that appears in AI Discover includes a “Tune Your Recommendations” button alongside the standard “Play” and “My List” options. Using that button, viewers can mark a recommendation as one they want to keep seeing, or tell Netflix not to recommend that specific title again.

Netflix says that feedback is remembered within AI Discover, so titles a user has dismissed do not keep resurfacing in later sessions.

Netflix TV App’s New AI Discover Tab

Finding AI Discover in the app is straightforward for users who have been given early access. The tab appears in the top navigation on the TV app and is marked with a red gem icon and a “New” label next to the word “Discover.” Netflix has also set up a Help Center page at netflix.com/ai-discover for additional information.

The intelligence layer powering AI Discover is described by Netflix as a new system that responds to what members tell it in real time and keeps learning from those signals. That differs from how the standard Netflix homepage recommendation algorithm works, which is primarily built on historical viewing behavior, Thumbs Up ratings, and what users add to their “My List.” AI Discover is designed to be more conversational and in-the-moment, adjusting to explicit user input within a single session rather than relying entirely on inferred preferences built over time.

The feature is currently available only to a small group of members, and Netflix has not specified exactly what criteria determine who gets access during the initial rollout. Users who do not yet see the tab can expect the gradual expansion over the coming weeks to reach more accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Netflix?

Netflix is a subscription-based video streaming service founded in 1997 and headquartered in Los Gatos, California. It originally operated as a DVD rental-by-mail service before transitioning to streaming in 2007, eventually becoming one of the largest entertainment platforms in the world. As of 2026, Netflix has more than 300 million paid subscribers globally and operates in over 190 countries.

The service offers a library of original films, television series, documentaries, stand-up comedy specials, and licensed third-party content. Netflix has four subscription tiers in the United States, including a Standard with Ads plan, a Standard plan, and a Premium plan. Its content investment has grown significantly year over year, and the company has expanded into live events, gaming, and interactive experiences alongside its traditional streaming catalog.

How Should the AI Discover Tab be Used?

For members who have received early access, the AI Discover tab appears at the top of the Netflix TV app navigation marked with a red gem icon and a “New” label. Opening the tab presents a grid of broad themes, each one displayed with a short preview clip so users can get a feel for the kind of content it covers before choosing. Selecting a theme generates a list of recommended titles matched to that mood, scenario, or format.

From there, more specific sub-themes appear below the recommendations, allowing users to keep drilling down until they find something appealing. If the current results do not match what someone is looking for, the “Something Different” option generates a new set without returning to the top-level theme menu. Each title in the results has a “Tune Your Recommendations” button that lets users either confirm that a title is a good fit or request that it not appear again, with that preference remembered for future AI Discover sessions.

What Are the Other AI Features on Netflix?

Netflix has been integrating AI and machine learning into its platform for years, with the core recommendation algorithm being one of the most sophisticated examples of its kind in the streaming industry. The standard homepage experience uses a combination of viewing history, ratings through the Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down system, time of day, and content that is trending across similar viewers to generate a personalized row-based layout for each subscriber.

More recently, Netflix has expanded its AI capabilities to include smart search, which can interpret natural language queries rather than requiring exact title matches, and contextual recommendations that factor in what a viewer has been watching in a current session rather than only their overall history. The company has also used AI for content production decisions, including informing its investments in specific genres and formats based on viewing pattern analysis. AI Discover represents the first time Netflix has built a fully separate interactive discovery experience outside of its standard browsing interface, treating AI-driven recommendation as a distinct feature with its own dedicated space rather than a background layer.