HBO Max has begun testing a new content discovery feature in the US. Users can tap the "Shorts" entry at the bottom of the app to browse a vertical video feed containing trailers, episode clips, and behind-the-scenes footage. The platform hopes this will alleviate the difficulty of choosing from its vast library while also catering to users' preference for shorter content.
First, test on a small scale in the United States
Warner Bros. stated that this feature is currently available to select iOS and Android users in the United States, and will be expanded to more devices and markets in the future. Users who see clips of interest in their feed can either jump directly to watch the corresponding movie or TV show, or add them to their watchlist later.
AI is responsible for the initial screening of fragments.
The company stated that this video stream utilizes an AI tool suite. This tool analyzes thousands of hours of film and television content based on scene-level metadata to identify segments more suitable for content discovery. Ultimately, the decision of which videos enter the feed rests with the HBO Max editorial team.
This means that AI plays a supporting role in screening and recommendation, rather than automatically generating and distributing results. The platform still retains human review to ensure that the clips are representative of the library's content and suitable for attracting user clicks.
Streaming platforms are accelerating their follow-up.
HBO Max is not the first platform to adopt this approach. Netflix, Disney+, and Peacock already offer similar vertical video streams to extract clips from their own film libraries, increasing content exposure and view conversions.
Beyond short video distribution, streaming platforms are also incorporating AI into the search process. TechCrunch noted that Netflix launched a similar AI search experience last year, and Amazon also offers an AI voice search function on Fire TV that can respond to open-ended questions.
From a product perspective, streaming platforms are treating "content discovery" itself as a new competitive advantage. As their content libraries continue to expand, recommendations, search, and short video referrals are becoming crucial tools for retaining users.
