Netflix to bring AI-powered interactive midroll ads to ad-supported tier in 2026

Netflix will launch AI-generated interactive ads for its ad-supported tier starting in 2026. This move, announced by President of Advertising Amy Reinhard, will feature two types of AI-powered ads: midroll ads shown during the middle of a show, and pause ads that appear when viewers pause the content. Both ad types are expected to make use of generative AI, with more interactive and personalized ad experiences for users. However, Netflix has not specified how this personalization will work or revealed what viewer data, if any, will be used for targeting.

For users, this of course also raises open questions about privacy and ad relevance as the platform develops its implementation. No specific launch date for the AI ad feature was provided, beyond the 2026 target.

This move targets the 94 million users on Netflix's ad-supported plan, which the company announced now represents half of all new subscriptions. Similarly, YouTube recently announced plans to use Gemini-powered AI ads during peak emotional moments mid-video.