Disney Plus and ESPN Roll Out AI-Powered Search to Tackle Streaming Indecision

Disney Plus tries a new AI-powered search

Disney is testing a new AI-powered tool for Disney Plus that uses a natural language search, a voice query, or a suggested prompt to create a customized row of show and movie recommendations. Disney Plus, like other streaming services, can recommend shows to watch based on your viewing history. But the company says this new tool, which is "a limited beta experiment" that's in testing with a "small group of select subscribers," is intended to recommend content that "fits the moment." The feature is the latest in a broader push to offer AI-powered recommendation tools that help you find something to watch among massive catalogs of streaming content. Netflix started testing an OpenAI-powered conversational search tool last year and also has a native voice search feature. Last week, Warner Bros. Discovery announced it is experimenting with a "conversational search experience" for HBO Max as well. Peacock even recently added an AI Andy Cohen that narrates Bravo clips. In an earnings call this week, Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro doubled down on plans to make Disney Plus the "digital centerpiece" of the company with "increased personalization, exclusivity, and benefits for subscribers." Disney is also introducing an "AI-assisted" conversational search experience for ESPN that looks more like a traditional AI chatbot. ESPN Search, which is in beta with a "subset" of users, lets users ask questions and get answers, stats, and recommendations "drawn from ESPN's vast sports knowledge ecosystem," the company says.

After Netflix, now Disney Plus wants you to chat with AI to figure out what to watch next

These new AI features are currently in beta and only available to a small portion of app users. It's hard to escape generative AI today, especially considering the rapid adoption of AI features across a variety of devices and apps. But when implemented correctly, some of these tools can potentially improve the user experience. One of the most popular video streaming services is now hoping for a similar result with its latest beta. In a blog post, The Walt Disney Company announced the rollout of an AI discovery feature in the Disney Plus app. This "beta experiment" is reportedly being undertaken with a small, unspecified batch of subscribers. The discovery feature will seemingly appear at the top of the Disney Plus app's home page on your television, with a row of prompts to help you find exactly what you're looking for. There's also a voice input option along with a keyboard interface to manually tell the AI what you want to see next. This AI feature is designed to help viewers gain more control over what they watch rather than relying on their viewing history. One could always search for a favorite movie or TV show on the Disney Plus app. However, this tool reveals a long list of options by solely describing your mood or a specific genre that you'd like to watch. Since this is a beta rollout, there's no word on when or if this feature will be expanded to cover all Disney Plus subscribers. Fellow video streaming app Netflix introduced an AI search functionality in beta some months ago, so Disney Plus is by no means the first to the party. Much like the Disney Plus feature, ESPN's AI-powered search bar is also available in beta and only to "a subset of users." It looks like the ESPN app will let users switch to the classic search experience, potentially through a settings toggle. However, the company didn't reveal this info in the blog post.

Disney+ and ESPN are testing AI-powered search that lets users describe what they want in plain language

Disney+ and ESPN are beta testing AI search with small user groups. ESPN answers natural language sports queries. Disney+ recommends content by mood. Personal Intelligence connects Gmail and Calendar. US rollout. Disney is testing AI-powered search inside both ESPN and Disney+, the company announced on Wednesday. ESPN Search lets a small group of users ask sports questions in natural language and receive answers, stats, related content, and recommendations drawn from decades of ESPN's articles, videos, research data, and internal knowledge repositories. On Disney+, a separate beta lets subscribers describe what they want to watch in their own words, moving from "I don't know what to watch" to recommendations based on immediate mood rather than viewing history alone. The Disney+ tool accepts natural language, voice input, or suggested prompts. A subscriber who normally watches crime dramas but wants something lighthearted can say so, and the system surfaces content that fits the moment rather than the pattern. ESPN Search works similarly: a fan can ask a question like "who has the most rushing yards in a single playoff game" and get an answer with supporting content rather than a list of links. Both features are in limited beta in the US with no announced launch date. The more notable addition is Personal Intelligence, which lets the AI pull context from a user's Gmail and Google Calendar to personalise answers. A subscriber with a flight to Vancouver in their inbox can ask what time they land and get an answer without leaving the app. It is off by default. The feature also remembers prior conversations, so trip planning can be resumed without starting over. Amazon is rebuilding Prime Video around AI recommendations in a project called Lighthouse, and Netflix is using generative AI to solve the content overload its own catalogue created. Disney is now entering the same race. The competitive pressure is real. Every major streaming platform is chasing the same problem: viewers spend too long deciding what to watch and sometimes give up entirely. AI search that understands mood, context, and intent is the bet all three companies are now making. Disney's version is the earliest stage of the three, a beta with a small group and no scale figures. Whether it reaches all subscribers depends on what the tests show. For now, the streaming wars have a new front: who can help you decide fastest.