- Prime Video is launching a new ‘Video Recap’ feature in beta for select shows
- The new generative AI feature is built on Amazon’s Bedrock model to cut together scenes from shows
- The test marks yet another AI-powered feature for Prime Video, but it’s only launching in the US for now
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We’ve already seen some of the best streaming services integrate AI-powered functionality and features into how they recommend content, and even into the writing of show, movie, and documentary descriptions.
Now, though, Prime Video has set its sights on using AI to help us catch up between seasons – at least in the United States – for select original content in a beta trial that’s rolling out now. In 2024, Amazon first dipped its toes into AI-generated content with spoiler-free, compact descriptions of plot points for shows; now, though, it’ll use AI to cut together a ‘Video Recap’ to help bridge that gap between seasons.
Essentially, when you click ‘Video Recap’ on an eligible show’s page, it will present a roughly three-minute recap of the show. In the background, before you request, the AI will get to work, analyze the show, identify major plot points, and get a sense of the arcs of the main characters. The AI then cuts together the best video clips from the season and stitches them together with AI-generated voiceover narration that plays over what will likely be a few-minute recap.
That’s not an easy lift, as it’s essentially stitching together the major plot points and combining them into a quick video that contains custom voice narration over visuals from the show – including dialogue – and adding music. These are being pre-generated, though, and Amazon uses a combination of models that are available on its own Amazon Bedrock, which lives on AWS or Amazon Web Services.
After the recap, which should get you up to speed, you can roll right into the regular programming. Prime Video says it’s rolling out ‘Video Recap’ in beta in the United States for select English-language original series. As of now, that list includes Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Fallout, The Rig, Bosch, and Upload.
It’s also only rolling out on living-room devices – think a Fire TV or a streaming player hooked up to a TV. The release does not mention whether additional devices, like the web or apps for iOS or Android, will be supported in the coming months. All eligible users in the US should see ‘Video Recaps’ by next week, November 24, 2025.
Considering it’s a limited US beta right now, we’ve asked Amazon whether this will be rolled out to the UK, Australia, and other international territories, either in beta or as a full release. Amazon says that at launch, ‘Video Recaps’ will only be available in the United States.
And while you will need to navigate to watch the video recap, all of these are pre-generated, so while it’s a heavy lift of AI, it won’t be happening in real-time every time a user requests it.
Gérard Medioni, vice president of technology at Prime Video, writes that Video Recap is a “first-of-its-kind feature [that] demonstrates Prime Video’s ongoing commitment to innovation and making the viewing experience more accessible and enjoyable for customers.” It’s the latest AI-powered feature arriving for Prime Video, and it comes over a year after the streaming platform delivered a major redesign that has impressed some customers and us in our testing.
Assuming these video recaps look good and meet the needs of a fun, engaging, and immersive recap, it could start a trend that other streaming services might copy. I, for one, enjoy a recap for a series – especially if there’s been a longer gap between seasons. I needed it when The Morning Show returned on Apple TV (formerly Apple TV+), and I’d like to see a fun one for when Ted Lasso returns.
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Additionally, considering that Prime Video also hosts Prime Video Channels – which let you access other streaming services’ content inside the same interface – we’ll have to see whether Amazon can strike a deal to offer these video recaps for non–Prime Video originals, or if Amazon opts to extend this to its other in-house-made, produced, or owned content.
I’m keen to try this one and see Prime Video’s Video Recap in action, but I also have some concerns about how good these can be and, of course, how this might impact the editors, showrunners, and producers who would typically orchestrate recaps at the start of a season.
Though if it’s up to quality and the actual team decides not to make one, this could serve as a decent substitute – we’ll have to wait and see, err, watch.
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jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol)
