Executives insisted creative teams remain central as new tools speed visual effects, planning and post production
Pop Culture & ArtJuly 17, 20262 min readPHOTO: REUTERS
Netflix has disclosed that around 300 titles across its catalogue used generative artificial intelligence during some stage of production in 2026, offering one of the clearest indications yet of how deeply the technology is becoming integrated into mainstream film and television making.
The streaming giant shared the figure in its second quarter earnings report, explaining that generative AI has been used across multiple stages of production, from concept development and previsualisation to post production and release. According to the company, the technology is intended to help creative teams complete complex work faster while lowering production costs without replacing filmmakers.
Among the projects highlighted were the Indian sports thriller series Glory, the Brazilian football documentary series Brasil 70: A Saga do Tri and the American Revolution documentary series The American Experiment. Netflix said generative AI enabled the productions to create large scale battle scenes, expand crowd sequences and deliver visual moments that otherwise might have been reduced or omitted because of budget or production limitations.
In its letter to shareholders, Netflix stated that it is “increasingly leveraging these tools to deliver higher quality output more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional methods.” The company added that, in some instances, productions would have been unable to include important sequences without the assistance of generative AI.
The announcement accompanied strong financial results for the company. Netflix reported second quarter revenue of $12.56bn, representing a 13.4% increase compared with the same period a year earlier. Net income reached $3.4bn, underlining continued growth as the streaming service expands both its content investment and technology initiatives.
Co chief executive Ted Sarandos also addressed the subject during the company’s earnings call, stressing that artificial intelligence is intended to support creative professionals rather than replace them. He pointed to approximately 17 minutes of AI enhanced footage in The American Experiment, saying the technology expanded the scale of the series while allowing the sequences to be completed roughly twice as quickly and at about half the previous production cost.
Sarandos emphasised that filmmaking remains driven by people, saying great artists are still essential to creating great films and television. He argued that AI should function as another production tool, helping directors, writers and visual effects teams achieve ambitious creative goals more efficiently while maintaining quality.
Netflix has been steadily increasing its investment in artificial intelligence across several areas of its business. Beyond production, the company has explored AI powered recommendations, advertising technology and animation tools. Earlier this year, Netflix also acquired InterPositive, a company founded by Ben Affleck that develops AI based production technology designed to assist filmmakers throughout the filmmaking process.
Sarandos previously argued that speed and lower costs alone are not enough to justify artificial intelligence, maintaining that improvements must also enhance the finished product. He reiterated that position during the earnings presentation, saying technology should help creators realise their vision rather than replace the human talent behind productions.
Netflix’s latest disclosure is likely to intensify the ongoing debate surrounding artificial intelligence in Hollywood.
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