HBO Max launches short-form video feed and AI-powered search

HBO Max has become the latest streaming service to add a TikTok-like short-form video feed to help users find something to watch, and is also launching an experimental AI-powered conversational search experience, Warner Bros. announced Tuesday. With the two features, the platform is looking to give users more ways to navigate its content library and find something to watch.

Like other streaming platforms, HBO Max is rethinking content discovery as large libraries make it hard for viewers to find something to watch, and as audiences grow accustomed to short-form content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. The new “Shorts” icon in the app’s bottom navigation menu opens a feed of trailers, clips, and bonus content. The company says the feed is customized to each user’s individual taste and preferences based on watch history; if a video catches someone’s interest, they can start watching the show or movie immediately, or save it to a watch-later list.

Warner Bros. says the clips in the feed are powered by an AI tool that uses scene-level metadata to analyze thousands of hours of film and TV content to surface the most compelling scenes for discovery — HBO Max editors then decide which clips best represent the service’s library. HBO Max joins Netflix, Disney+, and Peacock, all of which already feature vertical video feeds to surface clips from their libraries. The new feed is being tested with select iOS users in the U.S. before it’s rolled out to more devices and markets.

The conversational search feature uses natural language understanding to interpret queries and recommend relevant movies and TV shows — for example, searches like “in the mood for a comedy,” “dysfunctional family drama,” or “best movie for a girls’ night in.” Netflix launched a similar AI-powered search experience for its users last year, and Amazon offers an AI voice search on Fire TVs that responds to open-ended questions about shows and movies. HBO Max’s search feature is available to select Android users in the U.S., with plans to expand it to more devices and markets soon. Together, the additions suggest that conversational, AI-driven search is becoming a standard feature across major streaming platforms.

Why it matters

The dual launch shows how established streaming services are borrowing from short-form platforms and generative AI to solve a discovery problem that grows more acute as content libraries expand.