Streaming platforms have become battlegrounds for attention, and getting viewers to click on content quickly is a high-stakes game. In this environment, Max—soon to revert to the HBO Max name—is rolling out a feature that automatically plays short video previews when users hover over titles in its catalog. While autoplay previews are not new to the streaming world, Max is adding an “AI-assisted” twist: an in-house tool that identifies the most compelling “Drop-in Moments” from its vast library of shows and movies, to streamline preview curation and reduce manual effort.

The decision to incorporate autoplay previews arrives amid intense competition among streamers. Netflix popularized hover previews years ago, and other services like Disney+ and Hulu have since followed suit. For Max, the timing coincides with a broader overhaul of its interface and branding strategy: after experimenting with a simpler “Max” identity, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that the service will officially return to the HBO Max name later this summer. This reversion signals an emphasis on the premium, appointment-viewing identity associated with HBO, and UX enhancements like autoplay previews can help surface that high-quality content to subscribers more effectively.

According to Warner Bros. Discovery’s CTO Avi Saxena, the new AI-driven approach “will enable us to identify Drop-in Moments for the vast catalog of content on Max and significantly reduce the manual time needed to curate previews.” In a streaming library that includes everything from blockbuster movies to niche original series, manually choosing preview clips for each title is labor-intensive. Automating initial selection with AI helps the content team focus on final curation, ensuring that previews highlight moments most likely to hook viewers.

Once the rollout reaches all U.S. users (it’s already beginning for some subscribers), hovering over a show or movie tile on the homepage triggers a short silent preview clip that plays automatically. Users can opt to enable or disable audio or video autoplay, mirroring Netflix’s familiar controls for preview behavior. This flexibility is crucial: while previews can boost discovery, not every viewer wants unexpected motion or sound when browsing, so the mute or disable options help tailor the experience to individual preferences.

Behind the scenes, the AI-assisted tool scans content to flag “standout” scenes—moments of high tension, visually striking sequences, or emotionally pivotal beats—that tend to engage viewers quickly. These candidate clips are then reviewed by Max’s editorial team, which selects the final segments for preview. This hybrid human-AI workflow balances efficiency with creative judgment: AI handles scale and initial identification, while humans ensure context appropriateness and brand alignment.

Automating clip selection at scale requires robust analysis of video content. The AI likely combines scene detection, action recognition, and possibly audio-visual sentiment analysis to pinpoint moments that are exciting, funny, or emotionally resonant. For example, a climactic confrontation or a humorous dialogue exchange might be flagged as a “Drop-in Moment.” While Max has not publicly detailed the exact algorithms, the approach resembles techniques used in highlight generation for sports or social media video summarization, adapted for narrative content.

Editorial oversight remains critical. AI might propose technically fitting clips, but human editors consider broader factors: spoilers, pacing, and brand alignment. A scene that’s exciting but spoils a plot twist might be skipped in favor of a slightly less dramatic but safer snippet. Max’s team will need clear guidelines on spoiler sensitivity and tone consistency. The process underscores a trend in media workflows, where AI assists with initial labor-intensive tasks but human creativity and judgment guide the final output.

Netflix pioneered hover previews around 2017, turning browsing into an almost tactile experience where users can sample content without clicking through. Disney+ and Hulu quickly adopted similar features. By implementing autoplay previews with AI assistance, Max aims not only to match competitors but also to streamline internal workflows. The capacity to automate clip selection at scale could become a differentiator if it leads to more engaging previews across a larger library, especially as Max’s catalog grows with originals and licensed titles.