Netflix uses generative AI for visual effects in its latest sci-fi series El Eternauta, marking a first for the streaming platform. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos revealed the company used AI tools to complete a complex building collapse sequence in Buenos Aires.
The show El Eternauta tells the story of survivors navigating a deadly toxic snowfall in post-apocalyptic Argentina. Using AI-driven visual effects, the team finished the collapsing building scene ten times faster than traditional tools allowed.
Sarandos emphasized that this approach helped deliver high-quality visuals while staying within the production’s limited budget. He stressed that real artists guided the creative process using AI as a tool rather than a replacement.
Netflix reported $11 billion in revenue for the second quarter of 2024, up 16% from the previous year. The success of Squid Game’s third season and strong advertising growth helped drive the platform’s financial boost.
Netflix expects its ad-supported business to nearly double before the end of the year. Visual effects experts say AI can empower smaller studios to achieve blockbuster-level imagery at a fraction of the cost.
Davier Yoon of CraveFX in Singapore said the industry’s shift to using AI is inevitable given the tech’s rapid development. However, Hollywood remains divided over AI after 2023 strikes by writers and actors demanded protection from job-displacing technologies.
