Fez– In a first for the streaming giant, Netflix has confirmed it used generative artificial intelligence to create visual effects in its original Argentine sci-fi series “The Eternauts.
” The AI was used specifically to render a dramatic building collapse scene, marking a milestone in the company’s approach to digital production.
The disclosure during its 18 July’s 2025 second‑quarter earnings call recently marks the streamer’s first on‑screen use of AI‑generated footage.
Co-CEO Ted Sarandos revealed that the move was driven by both speed and budget. By leveraging AI-generated effects, Netflix was able to complete the complex sequence faster and more affordably than traditional methods would allow.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos recently highlighted the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on their production pipeline during a call with analysts.
He specifically cited a crucial example from an unnamed mid-tier show, where AI significantly accelerated the creation of the complex Buenos Aires collapse sequence.
Sarandos explained that using AI-powered tools for this visually demanding segment allowed them to complete the work “ten times faster” than would have been possible with conventional visual effects (VFX) methods.
This dramatic reduction in production time translated directly into substantial savings in both time and budget, demonstrating AI’s growing efficiency and cost-effectiveness in high-end content creation.
The ability to expedite such intricate sequences suggests a future where AI plays an increasingly central role in streamlining post-production, enabling more ambitious visual storytelling within existing financial frameworks.
“That sequence is the very first generative‑AI final footage to appear on screen in a Netflix original series or film,” he said to the BBC, calling the creators “thrilled with the result.”
The announcement comes less than two years after Hollywood’s 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, during which unions demanded safeguards against unregulated AI.
The development adds fuel to an already heated debate in Hollywood. While studios hail generative AI as a cost-cutting tool, many in the industry see it as a threat to creative jobs.
Critics argue it risks repurposing artists’ and designers’ work without permission and could lead to a decline in human-led storytelling.
Visual‑effects veteran Davier Yoon, co‑founder of Singapore studio CraveFX, said to the BBC generative tools can democratise blockbuster‑level imagery but stressed that “ultimately, it is the artist who decides what is in the final image, not AI.”
The Eternauts is slated to premiere globally in early 2026. Analysts say the successful use of AI‑generated footage could encourage more productions — especially those with modest budgets — to adopt similar workflows, intensifying industry debates over creativity, labour, and ethics.
