Netflix Uses AI Visual Effects in TV Shows to Cut Costs

Netflix has officially stepped into the age of generative AI, revealing that it used the technology in one of its original series for the very first time, BBC reports.

In a recent announcement, co-CEO Ted Sarandos confirmed that AI-generated visual effects were used in Netflix original sci-fi series The Eternaut. The AI was responsible for rendering a dramatic building collapse scene, allowing the production team to create complex visuals at a significantly reduced cost.

The move marks a turning point in Netflix’s approach to content creation, especially as the company looks to maintain high production values while keeping expenses in check.

Sarandos emphasized that the AI-driven effects allowed the scene in question to be completed approximately ten times faster than traditional visual effects methods would have allowed. Without the assistance of AI, he noted, the scene would have been too expensive to produce within the show’s limited budget.

The Eternaut is now marked in Netflix history as the first original series to feature finished footage generated by artificial intelligence. Sarandos described the creators as “thrilled” with the final result, highlighting how the tool unlocked a level of visual storytelling typically reserved for big-budget productions.

However, Netflix’s adoption of generative AI hasn’t come without controversy. Within the entertainment industry, the technology remains a divisive topic. Critics argue that AI tools often rely on vast datasets that may include creative works used without the original artists’ consent.

The broader anxiety around AI’s impact on jobs was also evident in 2024, when filmmaker Tyler Perry paused a planned $800 million expansion of his Atlanta studio, citing uncertainty about how AI-generated video content would affect employment across the industry.

Around the same time, tools like OpenAI’s Sora were beginning to demonstrate how simple text prompts could yield photo-realistic video, while raising red flags among creative professionals.