Feels trapped in a house of mirrors where suggested movie or show titles are exactly like each other? You’re not alone

A while ago, Sahil Arora, a 28-year-old software engineer, decided to catch a historical drama or thought-provoking documentary online, a deviation from his usual watchlist. But the streaming app had other plans, recommending crime thrillers, mystery dramas, psychological suspense titles and the likes, leaving Sahil to choose from a never-ending loop of dark, intense stories. “It was like the app had decided that this was all that I was allowed to watch.”

Sahil isn’t alone. We’ve all, at some point while looking at suggested titles, thought that streaming platforms know us a little too well. This is thanks to AI-driven recommendation algorithms aimed at making our watchlist more personalised. But are these algorithms really serving our preferences, or are they shaping our tastes in ways we don’t even realise?

The hand behind your watchlist
Every time you open a streaming service, AI gets to work. It analyses your viewing history, search patterns, interactions (what you pause, rewind, or skip), and even how long you hover over a title, before deciding what to suggest. The result? A hyper-personalised feed designed to keep you engaged for as long as possible. “The more you watch a certain genre, the more the algorithm feeds you the same type of content,” explains Kabir Mohsin, a tech analyst, adding, “AI assumes that’s what you want, so you keep seeing the same kind of shows and movies. It’s a loop.” For Sahil, this meant endless thrillers, and for Samvedita Indrajeet, a 34-year-old head of content and design, it was a constant stream of romantic comedies. “I love rom coms, but lately, that’s all I see,” Samvedita says, adding, “I used to enjoy sci-fi and horror, but they never pop up in my suggestions anymore. It’s like my taste has been decided for me.”

Are we losing the joy of discovery?
Walking into a movie store, flipping through DVDs, and taking a chance on something unfamiliar - there was an element of randomness and surprise before streaming services became popular. Today, with AI filtering our choices, that feeling is disappearing. “There’s something nostalgic about discovering a movie by accident. Now, everything is calculated. If the algorithm doesn’t think I’ll like something, I may never even see it,” says Anushka Rao Nair, a 32-year-old independent filmmaker.

The Echo Chamber effect
While AI recommendations make it easier to find content we like, they can also trap us in a digital silo, reinforcing our past choices while limiting exposure to new genres, diverse voices, and lesser-known artistes. “I used to watch everything - indie films, foreign cinema, old classics. But now, my streaming platform just gives me Hollywood action blockbusters. I didn’t even realise how much I was missing out on until a friend recommended a movie that never showed up in my feed,” says Siddharth Mehrotra, a 27-year-old cinephile. This phenomenon is called the Echo Chamber Effect, where AI keeps users inside their comfort zone instead of encouraging discovery.

Biased recommendations?
AI-powered recommendation engines don’t just influence what we watch, they also decide what gets visibility. “Unless a niche or independent film wins a big award or goes viral, it struggles to reach people,” says Kritagya Banga, a film distributor who works with independent filmmakers. He adds, “AI is great for blockbusters, but smaller films often get buried.” The same applies to regional cinema, international films, and diverse stories. Unless you actively seek them out, the algorithm might never bring them to your attention.

Yes, you can outsmart the algorithm. Here’s how:

• Search manually for diverse content, don’t just rely on recommendations
• Watch outside your usual genres to reset the algorithm
• Follow curated lists by film critics, festivals, and cinephiles instead of trending sections
• Use different profiles for different moods, some people create separate accounts to diversify their AI feed
• Actively seek out indie films, regional cinema, and documentaries that might not be suggested by the algorithm