Netflix has started using artificial intelligence during post-production for the first time. According to co-CEO Ted Sarandos, AI helped speed up editing and visual effects on The Eternaut, an Argentine science fiction series. He told financial analysts this during a quarterly earnings call, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Sarandos explained that AI allowed the production team to finish certain scenes 10 times faster than normal. One of these was a building collapse in Buenos Aires. He said, 鈥淯sing AI-powered tools, they were able to achieve an amazing result with remarkable speed.鈥� He also said this was the first time generative AI footage had appeared in a Netflix original film or series.
The Eternaut was made by an entirely Argentine cast and crew. AI kept it within a smaller budget while still being able to add effects that would usually be too expensive. Sarandos said the creators, the Netflix team and the audience were all pleased with the results.
What Impact Does This Have On Crews Behind The Scenes?
The use of AI has caused serious conflicts and confusion in the entertainment world. Many people fear it could take away jobs from those working behind the camera.
During the Hollywood strike in 2023, the Screen Actors Guild鈥揂merican Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) spoke out about AI tools learning from copyrighted footage without the permission of the original creators.
Netflix鈥檚 new venture might lead to similar arguments in future. Sarandos said AI tools are helping real people do their work faster and better, not replacing them. He said these tools are already helping during pre-visualisation and shot planning. But not everyone is convinced, especially those whose jobs may be at risk…
Experts Share: How Will AI Affect Film?
Experts have shared their thoughts on this, and how it’ll likely impact the film industry at large…
Our Experts:
- Niraj Pancholi, Writer/Director, Niraj Pancholi
- Robert J. Locke, Executive Film Producer, Owner, August Sun Production
- Dr. Ali Shehata, Founder and CEO, FamCinema
- Cole Robinson, Documentary Filmmaker, Filmit UK
- Yury Smagarinsky, CEO, Yoola
- David Quintero, CEO, NewswireJet
- Colin Cooper, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Illuminate XR
Niraj Pancholi, Writer/Director, Niraj Pancholi
“AI has accelerated the creation time of VFX, resulting in lower costs. However, human eye and human creativity will always be needed to ensure we deliver the quality expected by the audiences. Lower costs mean more films will get produced, requiring more artists to oversee them. Original sci-fi and fantasy projects which were previously considered unfeasible will soon be possible with the help of AI.”
Robert J. Locke, Executive Film Producer, Owner, August Sun Production
鈥淎I won鈥檛 replace screenwriters – a great script needs to take people on a journey and touch their hearts, and AI simply can鈥檛 do that. Around 95% of screenplays go through rewrites, and it takes a skilled writer to navigate that process. I鈥檝e worked with playwrights and screenwriters since 1992, and it typically takes 7 to 10 years to truly master the craft. That鈥檚 not something AI can replicate.鈥�
Dr. Ali Shehata, Founder and CEO, FamCinema
“The impact of AI on the film industry will certainly be interesting to observe. To date, AI generated footage has generally been easy to spot for even casual observers as subjects appear both too perfect in some ways (skin, proportions, etc.), as well as the distinct lack of soul. The “emotions” always seem to be missing something… human. So, in many ways, the use of AI generated footage just feels like the next rung on the ladder down from the deeply engaging and forever memorable movies of the latter half of the 20th century.
“It is my professional opinion, as someone who has spent time extensively testing generative AI for FamCinema, that the audience will reject these projects. And to this end, we have kept our focus in FamCinema on projects that display the beauty and depth of humanity and the human experience. We cannot deny that AI has a place in the world today, and tomorrow, but that place is not in art or the humanities.”
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Cole Robinson, Documentary Filmmaker, Filmit UK
“AI is already making waves in the film industry. As someone who works in documentaries, it鈥檚 clear that things like AI-assisted editing or sound cleanup can save a lot of time – and for small crews like mine, that makes a real difference. So no, it鈥檚 not all doom and gloom like some people claim. A lot of it is actually pretty useful.
“That said, when you hear that Netflix is now using AI-generated footage, it鈥檚 hard not to feel uneasy. What happens to real stories? To real people? And to the creative jobs that have always been the backbone of this industry? In documentary work especially, authenticity isn鈥檛 optional – it鈥檚 the whole point. If viewers start to question whether what they鈥檙e watching is genuine, that鈥檚 a serious problem.
“AI, if used carefully, can definitely become a helpful tool in a filmmaker鈥檚 kit. But we have to be careful it doesn鈥檛 strip away the very things that make film powerful in the first place.
“Still, even if AI becomes the norm, I think there鈥檚 hope. Some audiences will begin to crave the perfectly imperfect – and a new niche of AI-free, human-first content will take off as a result.”
Yury Smagarinsky, CEO, Yoola
“Based on Yoola network 鈥� which generates over 10 billion monthly views and includes thousands of creators worldwide 鈥� we can confirm: AI tools are becoming an essential part of a video creator鈥檚 workflow. They streamline production, make content creation more accessible, and help raise overall quality. But despite their growing role, we haven鈥檛 seen a single case where AI has replaced a real creator and built a consistent, successful channel on its own.
“Yes, AI can write scripts, generate voiceovers, even assemble videos. But being a creator 鈥� with a capital C 鈥� is about more than just output. It鈥檚 about ideas that connect, evolve, and build an audience over time. So far, AI hasn鈥檛 been able to deliver that sustainably. And platforms seem to recognise this: YouTube鈥檚 recent steps to limit monetisation of AI-generated content are a clear signal that human creativity still sits at the core of the creator economy. At Yoola, we fully support this approach.
“That said, AI is becoming an inseparable part of the toolkit for serious creators and the teams around them. From editing and dubbing to thumbnail optimisation and performance analytics, these services are helping creators work faster, better, and more efficiently. The future of content is human at the centre 鈥� with increasingly powerful tools supporting that creative spark.”
David Quintero, CEO, NewswireJet
“AI is going to reshape the film industry – not by replacing creativity, but by changing how fast ideas move from brain to screen. From script generation and pre-visualisation to editing and localisation, AI is speeding up the parts of filmmaking that used to eat up weeks. The tech isn鈥檛 here to replace directors or storytellers – it鈥檚 here to make their jobs more scalable and iterative.
“What鈥檚 happening with Netflix using AI footage is just the beginning. We鈥檒l see studios use AI to test scenes, explore alternate cuts, or even build low-cost concept reels before a single camera rolls. But the danger is when studios lean too hard on AI to cut costs instead of enhance storytelling. That鈥檚 where pushback will grow.”
Colin Cooper, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Illuminate XR
“Netflix using AI-generated footage in The Eternaut is a turning point but it鈥檚 just the beginning. AI is going to impact every aspect of the film industry, from pre-production to post-production, and even casting. The real question is how we use it.
“Done right, AI can help creatives experiment faster, mock up scenes, test lighting, simulate locations, and tweak scripts. It eliminates a lot of the grunt work, allowing filmmakers to focus on their vision. But there鈥檚 a risk too. If studios use AI just to cut costs, replacing people, originality, and risk-taking, we鈥檒l end up with formulaic content and lose the human magic that makes stories matter.
“What we need now are creatives who see AI as a tool, not a threat. People who can blend tech with heart. Because AI can do a lot鈥攂ut it can鈥檛 feel, imagine, or inspire the way a great storyteller can. And that鈥檚 where the real power still lies.”
