Netflix has announced plans to introduce AI-generated advertising, including the much-discussed pause ads, into its programming on the ad-supported tier starting in 2026. This development, first reported by Media Play News, leaves many questions unanswered about how these ads will be targeted. Will they be personalized based on a viewer's watch history, or tailored to the content being watched at the time? Currently, the specifics of how these ads will function behind the scenes and be presented to viewers remain largely unknown, but one thing is certain: they are on their way.
At a recent Upfront for advertisers event in New York City, Netflix's President of Advertising, Amy Reinhard, shed some light on the company's vision. She emphasized Netflix's unique strength, stating, "Either they have great technology, or they have great entertainment. Our superpower has always been the fact that we have both." Reinhard further highlighted the effectiveness of their ad strategy, noting, "When you compare us to our competitors, attention starts higher and ends much higher. And even more impressive, members pay as much attention to mid-roll ads as they do to the shows and movies themselves."
According to Reinhard, subscribers on the ad-supported tier currently watch an average of 41 hours of Netflix content per month. Kotaku calculated this to translate to approximately three hours of ads per month for these viewers. This volume of advertising is significant, and the introduction of AI-generated ads in 2026 is set to make this experience even more dynamic.
While Netflix has yet to announce an official implementation date for these changes, the move towards AI-generated advertising marks a significant shift in how viewers on the ad-supported tier will engage with the platform's content.
