Netflix has revealed that it used artificial intelligence (AI) in about 300 projects this year, primarily in post-production work, according to a letter sent to investors following the release of its second-quarter financial results.
The company admitted that the use of generative AI is “growing rapidly” among its creative partners, spanning the entire production cycle from conception and pre-visualization to post-production and delivery.
“We are increasingly turning to these tools because they deliver higher-quality results in less time and at a lower cost than traditional methods. In some cases, without generative AI, it would have been impossible to include certain key scenes and sequences,” the company emphasized.
According to Netflix, examples of this include the Brazilian production “Brasil 70: A Saga do Tri,” India’s “Glory,” and the American project “The American Experiment,” which used the technology to create complex sequences such as digital crowd expansion, historical battle recreations, and wide shots designed to build visual universes.
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On its website, the company states that these tools are a valuable aid when used transparently and responsibly.
“To support productions on a global scale and stay aligned with best practices, we expect all our partners to inform Netflix of any planned use of generative AI, especially as new tools emerge with different capabilities and risks,” it added.
In the second quarter, Netflix’s net profit was 3.4 billion dollars (3 billion euros), down from the 5.3 billion dollars (4.6 billion euros) recorded in the previous quarter. Revenues rose to 12.6 billion dollars (11.0 billion euros), representing a year-on-year growth of 13%, in line with forecasts.
In March, the entertainment giant acquired the production company InterPositive, which specializes in AI-assisted filmmaking and was founded by American actor and director Ben Affleck.
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During the results presentation, co-CEO Ted Sarandos stated that “great works can only be born from the talent of great creators, and artificial intelligence does not change that reality.”
“What it does is provide better tools to bring ideas to life. Movies are still made by people; AI just helps to make them better,” he concluded.
