How to Use AI to Decide What to Watch
The epic power struggle over control of the remote has entered a new dimension. Our entertainment industry is full of anchors like this Netflix, gourd, Disney+, main, pipeline, Pluto and maximumcreating a paradise full of choices. But this utopia can quickly turn into a battlefield when you and every other member of the family disagree on what to watch on the coveted big screen.
Sure, everyone can hole up in their own little blue light box and binge-watch shows featuring middle-aged Manhattanites hurling haute shading, or animating the exploits of self-aware puppies enforcing the law, but there’s still something special that comes together to decide Shared entertainment.
This is how my text message conversation with Pix began. The green bubble at the bottom reads in full: “None of these options are attractive. Is there anything you can tell us about why marriage is still a good idea?”
When you need to please multiple eyeballs, social networking sites like Letterboxd, recommended articles, and Reddit posts can only take you so far. Plus, they’re often out of date when it comes to where you can use what and how long it takes before jumping to the next service.
See also: Can’t find anything good on Netflix? Try using secret menus to find movies and shows
that’s there Pixel It’s an AI chatbot trained to provide recommendations for entertainment options like TV shows, movies, books, and podcasts to ease the push and pull of content to watch. Of course, your family may still have some disagreements about your choice of Pix. You’ll probably never get a Star Trek fan to prefer Han Solo to Mr. Spock, but Pixar tried to create a harmonious compromise.
How to use Pix to choose what to watch
Pix combines a custom database with personal recommendations from users of its sister app Likewisewhich provides recommendations on what to watch and why, was created by former Microsoft employees and funded by Bill Gates.
You can go to the Likely website and search for recommendations, which will return a list of titles and more information on where you can watch them, but it’s more fun to text Pix 550550. You can also access Pix via email (pix@likewise.com), Likely website and Likely app.
Pix responds to text messages with a friendly, conversational tone, offers a range of titles from feature films to TV series, and can help resolve any arguments about what to watch, listen to or read with its customized recommendations.
Later in the conversation, after Pixar recommended the sitcom Modern Family, I asked about some specific episodes.
I tested this tool by concocting a completely false scenario that would never happen, in which my spouse and I were angry at each other. I challenge Pixar to overcome all odds and find the best things for us to watch in order to restore harmony in our families.
Pix offered suggestions for some recent and older games, which might help create an atmosphere of patching things up, and when I told it I wasn’t happy with its performance, Pix came back with a new batch of options.
When asked further for specific episodes of the TV show Modern Family, Pixar suggested a few that would set the right tone for the makeup sessions.
Pix is ​​free to use, and based on my research, it seems to maintain a highly up-to-date database. This makes it easier to find where you can watch recommended content, especially if you’re pressed for time.
