Netflix Promises AI-Generated Ad Breaks in 2026

It seems that advertisements are set to become increasingly intrusive and peculiar. Currently, streaming services are overloading their subscription tiers with ads to maximize revenue, which is already a problem. To make matters worse, Netflix plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) to create personalized ads for viewers starting in 2026. According to Amy Reinhard, president of advertising at Netflix, these AI-generated ads will be shown during the viewing experience and may even capture the viewer’s attention more than the actual content itself. She pointed out that viewers pay as much attention to mid-roll ads as they do to the shows or movies themselves.

It’s uncertain what form “AI-generated midroll and pause ads” on Netflix in 2026 will take, but the concept seems troubling. It’s already tiresome to watch ads featuring real people, even when they are actors, written by scriptwriters, and directed by directors. The thought of Netflix being flooded with AI-generated ads that claim to understand you on a personal level is not something we’re excited about.

Based on Reinhard’s statement, ad-supported subscribers typically stream 41 hours of Netflix content monthly, which equates to around three hours of advertisements each month. This seems excessively ad-heavy, especially since users won’t have to encounter peculiar AI ads while streaming Netflix for now, but this might change soon.

Reinhard asserted, “Either they excel in technology or they excel in entertainment – it’s clear to me that our strength lies in the fact that we excel in both.” However, I can’t help but imagine a scenario where Netflix would channel its prowess towards something more than bombarding users with AI-generated advertisements.

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2025-05-16 20:03