Netflix has revealed that it used generative artificial intelligence (AI) visual effects in one of its original TV shows for the first time. According to co-CEO Ted Sarandos, AI was used to create a scene featuring a collapsing building in the Argentine sci-fi series The Eternaut.
Sarandos explained that the technology helped the team finish the scene more quickly and cost-effectively than traditional methods would allow. He noted that the production would not have been able to afford such effects without the use of AI. The use of generative AI in entertainment remains a contentious topic. Critics argue that it may replicate content based on others’ work without permission and could replace human jobs. Concerns over AI's role were central to the Hollywood strikes of 2023, during which the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists demanded stricter regulation of its use.
Netflix reported a 16 percent revenue increase to $11 billion for the second quarter of the year, with profits rising from $2.1 billion to $3.1 billion. The final season of Squid Game contributed to the strong performance, reaching 122 million views. Speaking on AI’s impact, Sarandos said it has allowed smaller-budget productions to access high-end visual effects. The AI-generated scene in The Eternaut was completed ten times faster than it would have been with standard tools and marks the first instance of generative AI visuals in a Netflix original. Industry voices remain divided. In 2024, Tyler Perry paused an $800 million expansion of his Atlanta studio due to concerns over AI’s impact on employment. Tools like OpenAI’s Sora, capable of creating detailed footage from simple prompts, have sparked both excitement and anxiety.
Davier Yoon, co-founder of Singapore-based CraveFX, said Netflix’s move was expected as more studios embrace AI. He emphasized that AI is one of many tools visual effects artists can use, adding that the final creative decisions still rest with humans.
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