Hollywood studios are turning to film schools for graduates who already know how to use AI video tools, rather than training their own staff, Semafor reported on Thursday.
“How do we find people who already know how to use this?” studios are now asking, Runway chief executive Cristóbal Valenzuela told Semafor.
Runway, which makes AI tools for generating and editing video, has helped build that pipeline. It announced its first university course, with NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, in December 2024. The <a href="https://runway.com/news/nyu-tisch-runway-scorsese-virtual-production-center” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>NYU Tisch course began in January 2025 at the Martin Scorsese Virtual Production Center.
USC’s School of Cinematic Arts also runs a graduate AI filmmaking course that uses Runway’s tools, according to the company. In addition, Semafor reported that courses using Runway are taught at the Rhode Island School of Design, MIT, and Harvard, and at universities in Europe and Latin America.
Google and OpenAI run their own programmes. In September 2025, Google Labs launched Flow Sessions, which gives selected filmmakers access to its Flow AI filmmaking tool, along with mentoring and training.
OpenAI, meanwhile, teamed up with Tribeca Studios on a year-long programme. It funded independent filmmakers to make short films with OpenAI’s tools, with premieres planned for the 2026 Tribeca Festival.
Filmmaker Brad Tangonan, who took part in Flow Sessions, told Semafor he expects AI skills to become a requirement for working in film.
“You’re going to have to learn how to use [these tools] if you do want to be in the industry,” Tangonan told Semafor.
The hiring push comes as studios use more AI in production. Netflix said it used generative AI in about 300 titles this year, and it has asked all its staff to build AI fluency.
Google has also moved closer to film studios. In June, it invested $75m in A24 and set up an AI filmmaking research partnership between the studio and Google DeepMind.
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