Netflix Tests Human Curated Content

Netflix is testing "Collections," a human-led recommendation feature. First reported by TechCrunch, the news follows similar revelations about FB's upcoming News Tab. It's another W for the human brain.

How Collections works: Creative teams assemble clusters of titles, sort of like Spotify playlists, but for Netflix. Some samples: "Real & Riveting," "Oddballs & Outcasts," and "Netflix is a Joke." For now, the feature is being tested on Netflix's iOS app and is not guaranteed to become permanent.

The status quo

Recommendation algorithms, Netflix's secret weapon, are like digital opium. They track your TV tastes, churn out recommendations, and keep you coming back to the platform.

Zoom out: Algorithms are optimized for efficiency and scale, while we humans are prized for creativity. If the human-machine tandem curation takes hold at Netflix, it could change streaming experiences, studio success, and—possibly—trending content.

+ While we're here: Disney's D2C streaming service, Disney+, will be curated by a combo of human editors and AI.