Netflix is rolling out a TikTok-like vertical video feed and deepening its investment in artificial intelligence for content creation and recommendations, the streaming giant announced on Thursday. The move signals a strategic shift to enhance content discovery and streamline its creative processes.
Quick Facts
- Launching a vertical, short-form video feed this month.
- Expanding AI use for recommendations and content tools.
- Reported $12.25 billion in revenue for Q1 2026.
Chasing Discovery with Vertical Video
After a year of testing, Netflix is officially launching a vertical video feed within its apps. The feature aims to help users discover new shows, movies, and video podcasts, adopting a popular format to keep subscribers engaged and improve content findability on the platform.
AI at the Core of Content and Personalization
Netflix is also significantly increasing its use of AI, moving beyond the ChatGPT-powered search it introduced last year. Co-CEO Gregory Peters highlighted the potential to refine its two-decade-old recommendation engine during the company’s first-quarter conference call.
“We have been in personalization and recommendation for two decades, but we still see tremendous room to make it better by leveraging newer technologies,” Peters said. “Recommendation systems based on new model architectures not only improve current personalization but also let us iterate and improve more quickly—adding support for different content types much more efficiently.”
Co-CEO Ted Sarandos added that he sees AI tools as a way to enhance, not replace, the creative process.
“In general, we expect GenAI to make content better; better tools, better processes […] It takes a great artist to make great art, and AI won’t change that. But AI will give those artists better tools to bring those visions to life,” he said.
Acquiring AI Talent with Interpositive
Underpinning its AI strategy, Netflix last month acquired Ben Affleck’s AI creation company, Interpositive. Sarandos noted that the acquisition provides proprietary technology built specifically for filmmakers.
“With our acquisition of Interpositive, we think it accelerates our GenAI capability because it is proprietary technology created specifically for filmmakers and filmmaking, different from other GenAI video applications,” Sarandos explained. “While our ownership of Interpositive is very new, we have generated interest with creators who have spent time with the tools, and we are seeing momentum build around adoption.”
Netflix also plans to use AI to upgrade its advertising suite, aiming for new formats and customization to drive better returns. The company projects its ad business will generate $3 billion this year.
What This Means for MENA’s Streaming and Creator Economy
Netflix’s pivot towards short-form video and AI is a direct response to global user habits, and it will have clear ripple effects across the MENA region. For local streaming competitors like Shahid and Starzplay, this move raises the bar for user experience and content discovery. The introduction of a vertical feed could pressure regional platforms to innovate beyond traditional carousels to keep their subscriber bases engaged.
Furthermore, with MENA’s high social media penetration and booming creator economy, a TikTok-style feed on Netflix could open new promotional channels for its growing slate of Arabic original content. It provides a familiar interface for a younger, mobile-first audience to discover local shows and films, potentially boosting viewership for its regional investments. The push into AI tools could also eventually trickle down to benefit MENA-based creators and production houses working with the platform.
About Netflix
Netflix is one of the world’s leading entertainment services with over 325 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films, and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause, and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.
Source: TechCrunch
