The integration of AI into the movies industry was a matter of time and isn't news. The latest case in the industry is Netflix confirming it used generative AI (not for the first time, though) to create a visual effects sequence in The Eternaut, one of its major upcoming sci-fi titles.
Netflix's co-CEO Ted Sarandos confirmed it during Thursday’s earnings call and told investors AI was used to generate a scene showing a building collapsing in Buenos Aires. The decision, he said, was driven by time and budget constraints. According to Sarandos, the scene was delivered “10 times faster” than it would have taken using traditional VFX tools. “Also, the cost of it just wouldn’t have been feasible for a show in that budget,” he added. Netflix didn't reveal which tools they used to create the scene, nor did they cover how exactly it was made.
Even though this is the first time Netflix has acknowledged using generative AI in one of its original productions. As it usually happens in the cases like this, Sarandos framed the tool as a way to support, rather than replace creative teams: “We remain convinced that AI represents an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper,” he said.
However, last summer, Netflix's documentary show What Jennifer Did also was in the middle of a backlash over the usage of AI. CEO Greg Peters then addressed the criticism and said, again during an earnings call, that AI offers "new tools to creators to allow them to tell their stories in more compelling ways."
The company’s broader use of AI has been expanding in recent months. In May, Netflix introduced a new conversational search tool on mobile. It also announced plans to weave AI-generated advertising into its content more seamlessly. One example included allowing ad placements against branded show environments, such as an ad appearing in a Stranger Things-style backdrop.
