Netflix Uses Generative AI Visual Effects for the First Time in Original Series
Netflix has revealed it employed visual effects generated by artificial intelligence (AI) in one of its own television productions for the first time.
According to Ted Sarandos, the company’s co-CEO, generative AI – which creates visuals from written instructions – was used in a dramatic scene for the Argentine sci-fi series The Eternauts, where a building collapses. Sarandos said this approach allowed the team to work more quickly and reduce costs significantly.
However, the use of AI in film and TV remains a hot topic. Critics argue that such technology may exploit artists’ previous work without permission and could threaten human roles in the creative process.
Sarandos’s comments came as Netflix reported a 16% increase in revenue, hitting $11 billion (£8.25 billion) in the quarter ending in June, compared to the same period in the prior year. Net profits also grew, climbing from $2.1 billion to $3.1 billion.
The company credited part of this growth to strong viewership of Squid Game’s third and concluding season, which has already attracted 122 million views globally.
Speaking on the role of AI in production, Sarandos explained that the technology is proving especially valuable for projects with tighter budgets, enabling them to access high-end visual effects typically reserved for more expensive productions.
In The Eternauts, the AI-generated VFX allowed the team to finish a scene depicting a collapsing Buenos Aires building in a fraction of the usual time – about ten times faster than conventional methods, he said.
“The cost of producing that scene using traditional techniques simply wouldn’t have been possible within the show’s budget,” Sarandos added. “This marks the debut of generative AI being used for final footage in any Netflix original series or film – and the creative team were delighted with how it turned out.”
AI was one of the central issues during the 2023 Hollywood strike, where the SAG-AFTRA union demanded tighter controls on its implementation. Some industry professionals have spoken out against its use, warning that it risks devaluing skilled creative work.
In 2024, director and producer Tyler Perry paused an $800 million expansion of his Atlanta studio, citing apprehensions about the speed at which AI video technology is evolving and the potential impact on employment in the sector.
At that time, tools like OpenAI’s Sora were being introduced, capable of generating high-quality footage from basic text descriptions. While the tech drew admiration for its capabilities, it also sparked anxiety about the future of creative jobs.
Davier Yoon, co-founder of Singapore-based animation house CraveFX, said Netflix’s use of generative AI wasn’t unexpected, given the increasing number of major production companies embracing the technology.
He described it as another option in the expanding toolkit of visual effects artists. “This was inevitable. AI gives smaller studios the chance to produce visuals that look like they belong in a blockbuster,” said Yoon.
“In the end, it’s still the artist who makes the final creative decisions—not the AI.”
