You know that feeling you get when you’re watching a movie and the scene is set in a location that should be crowded, yet feels strangely empty? It’s occurring more often, and it’s partly a result of higher production costs and tighter budgets. But don’t worry, Netflix has a solution to stop that fleeting, inconsequential feeling: AI! A whopping 300 AI-“enhanced” titles, to be exact.
Co-CEO Ted Sarandos dropped his undeniable embrace of AI in a letter to shareholders before last week’s earnings call. One example: Netflix’s new docuseries, “The American Experiment,” includes 17 minutes of AI-modified footage, including crowds and battle scenes. “It enabled us to expand the scope in ways that wouldn’t have been feasible before,” Sarandos said. “Those 17 minutes were produced twice as fast, at half the cost.” Never mind that countless PBS documentaries have had no trouble realistically depicting revolutionary-era America without AI; Netflix is innovating.
