Netflix has been at the helm of a lot of TV technology, from the intense CGI used in shows like Stranger Things and Black Mirror, to pioneering the streaming model in general. Now, it seems like they have decided to implement the use of AI into their creative projects, which has been controversial amongst film professionals. Now, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos is opening up about the decision, and why AI was a must on their new Argentinian show, The Eternaut.
Sarandos commented on the use of AI in Netflix’s 2025 release, The Eternaut, to analysts after the company reported its financial status after the second quarter, according to The Guardian. He doubled down that AI isn’t just a way to make movies cheaper, but is a tool for creatives to make a film or show better. In this particular instance, AI was used to achieve special effects that would not have been possible within the show’s budget. He said:
The cost of [the special effects without AI] just wouldn’t have been feasible for a show in that budget.
For context, The Eternaut is about survivors of a drastic climate disaster that created toxic snowfall. To show a building collapsing in Buenos Aires for the show, Netflix encouraged VFX artists to use AI. Sarandos claimed that using AI produced superb results, it was completed ten times faster than it would have been if they used traditional CGI workflows, and it allowed the company to produce the series for a lot cheaper than it would have without AI.
While Sarandos is confident in AI’s use as a creative tool in entertainment, creatives have been wary about widespread use. It was a major area of debate during the 2023 WGA strike and SAG-AFTRA strike as they feared jobs being taken away over the reliance on AI.
Actors have feared image and likeness replacements on the big screen as well as their voices, and writers have feared that tools like ChatGPT will be used to produce scripts rather than writers’ rooms. It also became a focus during Oscars season this year, when it was reported that The Brutalist used AI for some of its architectural models.
While stipulations and some protections have been put into place, the use of AI in Hollywood is quickly becoming a reality.
On one hand, the ability to produce visual effects cheaper, like Netflix did with The Eternaut, has its positives, as Sarandos pointed out. Producing shows more inexpensively means that the streamer will possibly invest in more shows that create more jobs in the industry. On the other hand, using AI for VFX could mean not as many visual effects artists have to be employed, which creates fewer jobs for artists. It’s an ongoing issue that will continue to be debated.
Right now, big studios and streamers see it as a tool, but we will have to wait and see if this becomes a replacement as the technology gets better.
You can see the AI visual effects for yourself in The Eternaut, which is streaming now with a Netflix subscription. For more information on other projects heading to the streamer this year, make sure to consult our feature on everything new and coming soon to Netflix.
