For Fire TV users in the U.S. Amazon is improving search functionalities and personalized content suggestions through the introduction of voice-activated GenAI-powered features. These functionalities will let viewers utilize conversational language and phrases to discover television shows and movie options.
The updated AI-powered Alexa search experience was revealed by Amazon on Thursday, coinciding with Fire TV’s 10th anniversary. On selected Fire TV devices running FOS6 and later in the U.S. in English, the feature is being gradually introduced to customers. In the coming weeks, it is expected to roll out to all eligible Fire TV devices across the U.S. Driven by an Amazon-developed Large Language Model (LLM), the search experience operates through Alexa prompts.
Notably, based on various criteria such as plot, character, topic, genre, actor, and quotes users have the flexibility to employ natural language and intricate phrases when seeking recommendations. Designed to be versatile, this feature caters to viewers who want to watch or require assistance in recalling the specific title of a TV show or movie and may have only a vague idea of what they want to see.
Amazon provided several search examples, including inquiries such as “Display psychological thrillers with unexpected endings,” “Show me movies depicting dog and human friendships,” and “Which movie features the line, ‘You’re killing me, Smalls’?”
Additionally, the curated list of personalized choices draws from content libraries across various streaming applications available on the Fire TV platform. This includes selections from free streaming options provided by FAST services such as Amazon’s Freevee, Paramount’s Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel as well as Amazon’s Prime Video, and other subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms like Hulu or Netflix.
Furthermore, each recommended title also indicates the specific app or service where it can be accessed, with free content supported by advertisements clearly labelled as such. Additionally, beneath the recommended voice search results, Fire TV presents separate rows featuring free short-form content from its integrated free TV experience, Fire TV Channels, which was introduced last year.