Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Amazon Prime Video is testing an AI-focused overhaul internally called Lighthouse.
- This effort includes AI-derived content recommendations and updates to the app’s UI.
- Jeff Bezos is reportedly personally involved with Lighthouse.
After increasing the price of its ad-free service earlier this year (and imposing new limits on 4K playback), Amazon Prime Video is now looking to introduce more AI. Jeff Bezos himself is pushing for a redesign of Prime Video that will more prominently feature AI-driven content recommendations, according to a new report.
According to ReutersMr. Bezos hopes to use Prime Video to highlight the advantages of Amazon’s AI. The initiative, called Lighthouse, aims to provide more personalized TV and movie recommendations by using AI to analyze subscribers’ preferences and, in theory, serve them content they’re more likely to watch.
This could lead to changes not only behind the scenes, but also in the user-facing Amazon Prime Video app interface. According to the report, the final direction of the UI redesign has not yet been determined, but the company is having internal discussions about a user experience focused on “AI-driven tiles.” Alexa may also be integrated into Prime Video’s search functionality.
Amazon is reportedly already testing a redesigned version of the app with some groups of users.
Bezos appears to have become personally involved in Prime Video’s AI overhaul following an internal presentation outlining upcoming updates to the streaming service last fall. In Bezos’ view, the plan “failed to sufficiently emphasize the service’s capabilities in AI and personalization,” the report said.
Lighthouse’s effort sounds pretty tame for an overhaul of a popular service aimed at showing how Amazon’s AI investments are paying off. Like other streaming platforms, Prime Video already recommends content based on users’ perceived preferences. Labeling these recommendations as AI-derived doesn’t seem to change much from a user’s perspective. However, better recommendations would mean users would spend more time on Prime Video, which would benefit Amazon. Whether Lighthouse can accomplish that remains to be seen.
It’s not clear when subscribers should expect these changes. Amazon refused Reuters News AgencyThe report says it is seeking comment.
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