Netflix has used generative AI in one of its shows for the first time in a move to help make “cheaper” and “better” films and TV series.
After Netflix released its second-quarter results on Thursday (17 July), co-chief executive Ted Sarandos confirmed with analysts that Argentinian sci-fi show The Eternaut had become the first show to use AI on the platform.
“We remain convinced that AI represents an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper,” said the 60-year-old.
According to Sarandos, the Spanish language series, which follows the survivors of a lethal snowfall that decimates the population, used AI to depict a building collapsing in Buenos Aires. He added: “That sequence actually is the very first AI final footage to appear on screen in a Netflix original series or film. So the creators were thrilled with the result.”
Praising the work of the visual effects team, he added: “Using AI-powered tools, they were able to achieve an amazing result with remarkable speed and, in fact, that VFX sequence was completed 10 times faster than it could have been completed with traditional VFX tools and workflows.”
Sarandos also championed the fact that AI allowed the show, which has a small budget, to have convincing effects that otherwise “wouldn’t have been feasible” for a project that size.
The executive also moved to dispel any fears about AI replacing anyone’s role in the film and TV industry, claiming that those using the tools have seen the “benefits in production through pre-visualisation and shot planning work, and certainly visual effects”.
The use of AI in film has been a hot topic as of late, with the likes of Robert Downey Jr and James Gunn firmly speaking out against the technology, whereas individuals such as James Cameron and Ben Affleck have embraced it.
AI was a large area of focus during the 2023 dispute between Sag-Aftra, the US’s biggest union of actors and screen performers, and Hollywood studios.
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The strike, which halted several big-budget productions including Deadpool and Wolverine and Wicked, began on 19 July 2023. At the time, striking actors were seeking assurances over the use of AI, as well as residual pay hikes related to streaming, and better employee benefits.
An agreement was reached in November, with the union declaring: “SAG-Aftra members will receive unprecedented wage escalation, significantly improved streaming compensation, and the first-ever crucial protections around the use of artificial intelligence technology.”
