HBO Max Tests AI-Powered Shorts and Natural Language Search
HBO Max is introducing two new artificial intelligence-powered mobile features aimed at making it easier for subscribers to discover content. The streaming service has begun testing HBO Max Shorts, a vertical video feed, alongside Ask HBO Max, an AI-driven recommendation tool that responds to natural language requests.
Both features are initially available to a limited number of iPhone users in the United States.
HBO Max Shorts Brings Vertical Video to the Platform
The new HBO Max Shorts feature is designed to help users discover movies and TV shows through short-form vertical videos.
Eligible users will see a Shorts icon in the app’s bottom navigation bar, providing access to:
- Movie and TV trailers
- Short clips
- Bonus content
After watching a clip, users can:
- Start watching the featured title
- Add it to My List
- Continue browsing additional content
For now, HBO Max Shorts focuses exclusively on promoting existing content and does not include original short-form programming.
AI Helps Select the Best Clips
Rather than relying solely on manual editing, HBO Max is using an internal artificial intelligence tool to streamline clip creation.
According to the company, the AI system analyzes thousands of hours of video footage and assists human editors in identifying the most engaging scenes suitable for short-form discovery.
Deepna Devkar, Senior Vice President of Machine Learning Engineering at HBO Max, said the technology helps accelerate the production of promotional clips while making more of the platform’s catalog easier to discover.
Personalized Recommendations
The Shorts feed is personalized using each subscriber’s viewing history.
The goal is to surface content that aligns with individual interests, making it easier for users to find new shows and movies without searching through the full catalog.
The approach mirrors similar vertical-video discovery features recently introduced by competing streaming services.
‘Ask HBO Max’ Uses Natural Language
The second feature currently in testing is Ask HBO Max, an AI-powered search assistant designed to make recommendations through conversational prompts.
Instead of searching by title or genre, users can enter requests such as:
- “I’m in the mood for a comedy.”
- “What’s a good movie for girls’ night?”
The AI then recommends titles based on the user’s request, simplifying content discovery through natural language rather than traditional search filters.
More Devices and Markets Planned
Both AI-powered features are currently limited to a small group of U.S. iPhone users during the testing phase.
HBO Max says it plans to expand availability to:
- Additional mobile devices
- More international markets
- A future sports-focused Shorts category
The rollout reflects a growing trend among streaming platforms to use artificial intelligence and short-form video to help subscribers navigate increasingly large content libraries while encouraging engagement with existing movies and series.
