Netflix is now using AI in its TV shows
What's the story
Netflix has used artificial intelligence (AI) for the first time in one of its original series, El Eternauta. The move comes as part of a broader effort by the streaming giant to leverage technology and improve production efficiency. Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix, emphasized that AI is not just about cost-cutting but also about enhancing the quality of films and series.
Production
How AI helped with a scene in El Eternauta
The Argentine sci-fi series El Eternauta tells the story of survivors amid a rapid and deadly toxic snowfall. For a scene depicting a building collapse in Buenos Aires, Netflix's visual effects (VFX) artists used AI. Sarandos said this approach helped them achieve an impressive result quickly, completing the VFX sequence 10 times faster than traditional methods.
Cost efficiency
AI helped fund the show
Sarandos revealed that using AI tools allowed Netflix to fund El Eternauta at a much lower cost than usual for a big-budget production. He explained that the cost of special effects without AI would have been unfeasible for a show on that budget. This development comes amid fears of job cuts in the entertainment industry due to the increasing use of generative AI technology.
Statement
'This is real people doing real work'
Despite concerns over job losses, Sarandos is optimistic about the potential of AI in filmmaking. He said, "This is real people doing real work with better tools." He added that creators are already seeing the benefits of these tools in production through pre-visualization and shot planning work. Sarandos believes these advancements are expanding storytelling possibilities on screen, which he finds endlessly exciting.