TV seems to know what you want to see; algorithms at work

Your TV knows what you watch. More than that, it knows how you watch. When you pause a program, your TV is taking notes. When you rewind or fast-forward, the machine jots that down too. But here's maybe the scariest part of all: Your TV knows what you want, maybe even before you do.

This is where technology has led us. The algorithms that spit out online recommendations for television series, movies and more are taking artificial intelligence to a new level. Top providers such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon -- which tens of millions of Americans get either through set-top boxes such as Roku or via personal computers -- employ large engineering teams dedicated to cracking the code of what users want and guiding them to it. Nothing less than the future of the entertainment business is at stake, as the industry continues its landmark shift from broadcasting to time-shifting and niche programming.