How Netflix leverages AI: Unveiling the tech behind the stream

Netflix, a global streaming giant, has revolutionized the way we consume entertainment. With over 230 million subscribers in more than 190 countries, Netflix has become a household name, offering a vast library of movies, TV shows, and original content. At the heart of its success lies a powerful and sophisticated use of artificial intelligence (AI), which enhances user experience, streamlines content delivery, and personalizes viewing recommendations.

We know now more than ever, the importance of AI cannot be overstated. According to a report by McKinsey, according to a report by McKinsey, AI has the potential to deliver up to $1 trillion in value each year for the global economy. AI can significantly enhance content creation, distribution, and audience engagement in the media and entertainment sector, driving substantial value and efficiency. Netflix is a prime example, utilizing AI to analyze over 200 billion events per day, predicting user preferences, optimizing streaming quality, and aiding in content creation. 

As the demand for localized content grows, AI has become crucial in areas like dubbing, ensuring that viewers can enjoy content in their preferred languages with high accuracy and cultural relevance. We explored the AI behind this global giant to understand how companies like Deepdub, an innovator in AI-driven dubbing, can help to create top-tier dubbed content that’s accessible to a global audience. 

Personalized content recommendations

Recommendation algorithms are systems designed to suggest content to users based on their preferences and behaviors. These algorithms analyze various types of user data to predict and recommend content that the user is likely to enjoy. They are crucial for platforms like Netflix, where the vast library of content can be overwhelming for users to navigate without personalized guidance. 

Netflix's recommendation system is renowned for its accuracy and effectiveness. It utilizes advanced algorithms to analyze user data and deliver personalized content recommendations. This system is built on two primary types of filtering methods: collaborative filtering and content-based filtering. (Note: this information is sourced from Personalization – Netflix TechBlog.) 

Collaborative filtering relies on the behavior and preferences of similar users to make recommendations. It operates on the principle that if two users have shown similar preferences in the past, they are likely to enjoy similar content in the future. Content-based filtering focuses on the characteristics of the content itself. It recommends items that are similar to what the user has shown interest in previously. 

Netflix collects as much data as it can via filtering and with the helps of its AI, leverages the collected data to create a highly personalized user experience. By analyzing the shows and movies a user has watched, Netflix can identify patterns and preferences. This helps the platform suggest similar content that aligns with the user's tastes. Additionally, user ratings, search queries, interaction data, and device and location data help the algorithm understand viewers more deeply to be able to tailor recommendations to different contexts, such as suggesting mobile-friendly content for users who often watch on their phones.

Netflix also uses this data to personalize recommendations based on language preferences and dubbed content. For instance, if a user frequently watches content in Spanish or prefers dubbed versions of shows, Netflix will prioritize similar language and dubbed content in their recommendations.

Content creation and production

Netflix employs artificial intelligence (AI) not just to analyze its viewers and recommend new shows they’ll love, but also for content creation. By examining past hits, AI analyzes scripts and plots of successful movies to identify trends and predict audience preferences. According to a report by PwC, data analytics, including AI, plays a significant role in the media and entertainment industry, helping companies understand what resonates most with viewers, from character types to thematic elements and pacing preferences.

AI also plays a crucial role in generating and synchronizing subtitles in multiple languages. This technology ensures subtitles are accurately timed with the on-screen action, maintaining high standards of accessibility and inclusivity. The World Federation of the Deaf notes that accurate subtitles are essential for providing equitable access to media for hearing-impaired viewers. Additionally, non-native speakers benefit significantly from AI-generated subtitles, which help bridge language barriers and enhance the viewing experience.

For dubbed content, Netflix uses advanced AI technology to ensure that dubbed audio is perfectly synchronized with the actors' lip movements, providing a natural and immersive viewing experience. The technology needed to make that happen – the type of technology that Deepdub offers to Media & Entertainment companies, as well as FAST channels, and more – is essential for reaching a global audience, as it allows Netflix to offer high-quality dubbed versions of shows and movies. 

Why dubbing matters for Netflix’s international expansion

Dubbing plays a pivotal role in Netflix’s strategy to captivate and expand its global audience. Greg Peters, Netflix’s COO and Chief Product Officer, revealed that in 2021 alone, Netflix dubbed 5 million run-time minutes (sourced: Netflix COO Reveals Scale of Dubbing and Subtitling Operations - Slator). As a streaming giant with aspirations to penetrate even more diverse international markets, Netflix recognizes that language can be a significant barrier to content consumption. Here's why dubbing is crucial for their international expansion:

• Dubbing makes content accessible to non-English speaking audiences and those who prefer consuming media in their native language. This inclusiveness is essential for building a global subscriber base, allowing Netflix to reach viewers in countries where English is not the primary language. A GWI study showed that 76% of Gen Z and millennials watch foreign language TV shows or films, and its exactly that accessibility that Netflix capitalizes on.
• Viewers are more likely to watch and enjoy shows and movies in their native language. Dubbing can lead to increased viewer engagement and retention rates, as it eliminates the cognitive load of reading subtitles, making the viewing experience more enjoyable and immersive.
• By offering dubbed versions of popular shows and movies, Netflix can tap into new geographic markets that were previously inaccessible due to language barriers.  
• In many regions, local streaming services provide content already in the native language. To compete effectively, Netflix must offer its content in the local languages to ensure it is as attractive as the local offerings.
• Some countries have regulations requiring foreign media to be available in the local language. Dubbing enables Netflix to comply with these regulations, avoiding potential legal issues and fostering positive relationships with local governments and regulatory bodies.

What does the future look like at Netflix?

Some of the trends we expect to see coming from Netflix in the next year or two are aligned to what we expect from the industry as a whole, including:

• More content personalization: With advances in its AI-driven recommendation systems, Netflix will be able to better predict and tailor content suggestions to individual user preferences. 
• Interactive and immersive content: Following the success of interactive shows like "Bandersnatch," Netflix may be exploring more AI-driven interactive storytelling, allowing viewers to choose their own story paths which could include AI-modulated dubbing depending on the viewer’s language preferences.
• Predictive analytics: Netflix’s use of AI may be powerful to predict the potential success of content even before its release, an idea that is not that far off reality if you consider how the streaming giant is already using analytics.
• Enhanced viewer engagement through AI dubbing: As Netflix shifts focus from mere subscriber growth to maximizing return on investment, AI dubbing will contribute significantly to content viewership. Netflix indicated publicly that is has seen a 120% annual growth in viewership of dubbed content, and we expect this to grow steeply.

Deepdub is an ideal partner for streaming platforms

As Netflix continues to diversify its international content offerings, its capability to provide accurately dubbed versions rapidly and efficiently must also diversify. While many streaming services have mechanisms in place for dubbing, the creation of high-quality dubs requires sophisticated AI-driven technology paired with deep industry knowledge—qualities that Deepdub consistently delivers to all its clients.

Deepdub’s technology stands out due to its ability to adapt to various dialects and cultural nuances within the same language, offering a more personalized viewing experience that resonates with specific audiences. This tailored approach not only meets viewers' localization preferences but also strengthens engagement and connection with the content, providing Netflix with a significant competitive edge in the global streaming market. 

Deepdub's Go product is designed specifically for post-production teams, enabling efficient handling of long-format files and employing the most advanced technology to deliver language support. This extensive solution ensures high-quality dubbing to enhance your overall production process and deliver an exceptional experience to your viewers.