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Binge-watching in quarantine? AI and Netflix have you covered!

We’ve all heard of Netflix: the media colossus with over 160 million members in 190 countries. As the world gets to grips with staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Netflix’s popularity has soared with over 16 million new customers joining in the first 3 months of 2020: well over double the expected growth rate. One of the keys to Netflix’s success has been their use of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning in the name of optimising the customer experience.

Netflix improves the customer experience by using AI algorithms to fine-tune recommendations provide to viewers about what shows to watch next - making these more accurate to the viewer’s taste. More than just improving Netflix’s recommendation system, machine learning is also used to customise tile artwork to make shows more appealing to a prospective viewer. Each viewer’s unique prior preferences are taken into account to choose a tile artwork thought to be most appealing to them. This can be seen with the film “Good Will Hunting”. Viewers who previously enjoyed comedies would see tile artwork featuring the comedian Robin Williams, whilst those who enjoyed romantic movies would see tile artwork featuring Matt Damon and Minnie Driver.

Netflix also uses AI to optimise programming itself - by gathering and processing data to find out what works and what makes a successful show. Netflix’s AI algorithm analyses viewer metrics such as dropout data (data concerning people who drop out midway through a show) and 28 day viewership data (the number of people who watched a series of a show within 28 days after release). This data helps Netflix to understand what makes a show successful and what viewers want in a Netflix original.

This can then be used to produce even more successful Netflix originals in the future -with Forbes estimating that the average success rate of a Netflix original with viewers is 80%, compared to 35% for an average TV show. Netflix compiled and processed 6 years worth of data to engineer House of Cards - which would never have been possible without AI algorithms. Thus, Netflix uses AI not just to recommend new shows, but actually in the making of these originals - House of Cards being just one example.

Aside from customer experience, AI is used for other aspects - such as location scouting for productions, by processing data such as desired shooting times and locations as well as various constraints: scheduling (actor and crew availability); budget (both cost of venue and cost of travelling to the venue) and production scene requirements (clear weather etc.). The algorithm suggests locations based on data processed from these inputted constraints. This maximises the efficiency of shooting on set and chooses the best locations for a shoot - another way in which Netflix harnesses AI to enhance their overall product.

Thus, the diversity of uses for which Netflix harnesses AI is staggering - from viewer customisation to new production ideas to bringing those ideas to life.

So, if you’re bored in quarantine and you decide to watch a Netflix show, take comfort in the knowledge that AI is being used to tailor your whole user experience to your desires…

All images from Netflix