Amazon Fire TV devices get an AI-powered search feature for personalized content recommendations

Amazon Fire TV devices are getting an artificial intelligence (AI)-based feature upgrade that will make it easier for users to discover new shows and movies. The e-commerce giant is integrating its internal AI model to power its search feature. The company says it will allow users to search for content based on genre, plot and more. Calling it a personalized content recommendation feature, Amazon has started rolling out its AI search feature in the US in English.

Amazon Fire TV’s AI Search Feature: How It Works

In an editorial, Amazon cited Nielsen’s 2023 State of the Game report to highlight that “the average streaming user spends more than 10 minutes searching for options every time they access their streaming services.”

Most people have probably encountered a situation where they are in the mood to watch something new, but struggle to find something that will capture their attention. The process can even take a while, given that most streaming platforms have a large catalog of movies and TV shows. The tech giant is solving the problem by adding AI capabilities to its search feature.

The update does not change the look of the search feature. However, owners of Fire TV devices running Fire OS 6 or later will now be able to find relevant results for complex search queries such as “Show me psychological thrillers with surprise endings.” This is possible thanks to one of Amazon’s internal big language models. The company did not specify which AI model was used to enable the feature.

Where to use Amazon Fire TV’s new AI search feature

With this new feature, users will be able to search movies and series based on themes, genres, plots, characters, actors and even quotes. The feature will display results from Prime Video as well as the user’s other subscription libraries (such as Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, etc.) so that they only see content that is already available to them for free. The AI ​​search feature supports Alexa, so users can also verbally ask for content recommendations instead of typing them.

The feature is rolling out to US users in English on select Fire TV devices running Fire OS 6 and later, and will be rolling out to all eligible devices in the coming weeks. Amazon hasn’t shared any timelines for the global release of this feature or support for additional languages.