The Walt Disney Company continues to explore different ways to utilize artificial intelligence. The newest way that has been announced is a beta testing program for AI-powered search and discovery on two of its streaming services, Disney+ and ESPN. This test hopes to see if it can expand the ways that people search for things. Rather than simply searching for something specific or browsing, people could describe something they are looking for but don’t know exactly what it is.
The beta testing that is happening on ESPN and Disney+ uses AI-powered features that are designed to help fans find information and content with intent built into the experience. Disney says that these experiments will help Disney learn from user interactions so that they can make future improvements eventually for navigation, results, recommendations, and content discovery.
Disney+
On Disney+, Disney is looking to help change the user experience for subscribers. Currently, personalization relies on user history. However, sometimes people want to mix things up and watch something completely different.
The beta testing on Disney+ is with a small select group of subscribers. Its goal is to explore a more natural way for users to express what they are looking for. The AI-powered tool will hopefully help viewers move from “I don’t know what to watch” to finding relevant recommendations utilizing immediate context and viewing needs. Subscribers will be able to use natural language, voice input, or suggested prompts to describe what they want to watch. Disney+ will then suggest content that fits the moment, rather than the history leading up to that moment.
ESPN
ESPN is using the beta AI-powered features to offer an enhanced search experience. This test is also restricted to a small and select group of subscribers. This is in the form of ESPN Search. This is an AI-assisted search that allows fans to ask sports questions in natural language. They will then receive answers, related content, stats, and recommendations that come from ESPN’s vast sports knowledge ecosystem.
ESPN Search pulls from decades of ESPN’s trusted content and data with the goal of helping fans get to insights faster while also uncovering more of ESPN’s deep sports expertise. The search will include published articles and videos, stats and info from ESPN Research, sports metadata, internal knowledge repositories, and structured sports data systems.
Looking Forward
Disney shared that these beta experiments are just the beginning as the company explores how AI can help enhance the user experience across Disney+ and ESPN. Disney will utilize user feedback to help it evolve and improve how information and content is found over time.
Disney thinks that it can reduce friction and better understand what fans are looking for to create a more seamless way to engage with entertainment and sports.
At this point, Disney has not shared any plans for a wider rollout. Presumably, this would or wouldn’t happen based on the results of these beta tests.
What do you think of these beta tests? Do you think they will make for a better user experience? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
