HBO Max has introduced a vertical, TikTok-style "Shorts" feed within its app, aiming to help subscribers navigate its vast content library more easily as short-form video consumption habits spread from platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Warner Bros. announced the update alongside an experimental AI-powered conversational search tool, both designed to tackle the growing "what to watch" problem that comes with sprawling streaming catalogues. The moves place HBO Max alongside rivals such as Netflix, Disney+ and Peacock, which have already adopted similar short-form discovery feeds.

The new "Shorts" icon, found in the app's bottom navigation bar, opens a personalised feed of trailers, clips and bonus content tailored to a user's watch history, with AI used to identify compelling scenes before human editors curate the final selection; it is currently being trialled with select iOS users in the US. The conversational search feature, meanwhile, lets users type natural-language queries such as "dysfunctional family drama" to receive tailored recommendations, echoing a similar tool Netflix launched last year, and is being tested with select Android users in the US ahead of a wider rollout.