Described by a PR rep we contacted as a "new user experience" the company is testing, the assistant talks to users directly and asks them to rate a few movies on the spot before providing new suggestions.

ENGADGET: Netflix testing 'Max' assistant on some PS3 users to improve movie recommendations

Such is his commitment to breaking the old system that BHP has recently been testing indexed prices by selling iron ore on spot markets at well below contract prices.

ECONOMIST: BHP Billiton ends its pursuit of Rio Tinto