Netflix says 300 titles used generative AI in production

Netflix revealed in its second-quarter earnings report, released Thursday, that roughly 300 titles on its platform have used generative AI, with the vast majority of this AI work occurring in post-production. The company framed this adoption as part of its strategy to "increasingly leverage these tools to deliver higher quality output more quickly and at a lower cost."

The streaming service provided specific examples of titles employing AI technology. The American Experiment, Glory, and Brasil 70: A Saga do Tri all used generative AI to "create highly complex sequences," including "enhanced crowds, historical battle sequences, and worldbuilding establishing shots." During Netflix's investor call, co-CEO Ted Sarandos elaborated on The American Experiment, a docuseries that contains 17 minutes of "AI-enhanced footage." Sarandos emphasized that this footage "were produced twice as fast and at half the cost of previous options," adding that "in many of the cases, productions would have left out those key shots because they just wouldn't have been able to afford them. They wouldn't have been able to do them in the timeframes that they're working on." Netflix had previously used AI in the sci-fi series The Eternaut to save time and reduce costs.

Netflix is deepening its AI infrastructure investments as the technology matures. The company has acquired Ben Affleck's AI startup and established an AI animation studio. Most recently, Netflix has begun using an AI-generated voice of Gene Wilder in its new Wonka's The Golden Ticket reality show. These moves signal the company's intent to embed AI across multiple content formats and production stages.

On the broader business front, Netflix reported $12.56 billion（約2兆円） in earnings over the recent period and remains on track to double its ad revenue to $3 billion（約4800億円）. In its shareholder letter, the company addressed engagement concerns that surfaced after a Bloomberg report indicated difficulty retaining viewers into second seasons. Netflix countered by noting that "time spent is just one aspect of strong engagement," emphasizing that "quality and variety also matter." The company highlighted its latest What We Watched report, which showed subscribers watched over 97 billion hours, up 2 percent year over year. Netflix also announced it will shift to publishing this report once annually instead of twice per year. As part of its effort to compete with free-to-watch platforms like YouTube, Netflix has introduced video podcasts, TikTok-style clips, and recently announced plans to stream videos from digital media brands like BuzzFeed.

Netflix's disclosure of roughly 300 AI-enabled titles reflects a broader shift in how the streamer approaches production efficiency. Rather than positioning AI as a replacement for creative talent, the company frames it as a cost and time multiplier—enabling productions to include ambitious shots (enhanced crowds, historical sequences, worldbuilding) that budget or timeline constraints would otherwise have forced them to eliminate. Ted Sarandos's framing on the earnings call is revealing: he emphasized that AI-enhanced footage in The American Experiment was both twice as fast and half the cost, making it possible to include creative elements that would have been left on the cutting room floor under traditional budgeting.

This strategy also aligns with Netflix's recent content diversification push. While the company faces pressure to compete with free platforms like YouTube, it has rolled out video podcasts, TikTok-style clips, and is planning to stream videos from digital media brands like BuzzFeed. The AI investments—including the acquisition of Ben Affleck's startup and the creation of an AI animation studio—suggest Netflix intends AI to be a structural advantage in scaling content production across these multiple formats and genres.

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