Major players in the film industry — Netflix, Google DeepMind, and Amazon — are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence into the production of films and series, while resistance from actors and directors persists. The 2023 strikes, linked to the use of AI for scripts and digital copies of actors, became a turning point for the industry, and debates about the role of the technology continue to this day.
Director Christopher Nolan, in a July 2026 interview, compared AI to a Trojan horse: "I think AI is a Trojan horse where everyone knows the Greeks are inside. It's a transparent horse; it's made of glass. Everyone can see what's happening inside."
The director's position aligns with his filmmaking approach: Nolan has long been known for his principled rejection of computer graphics in favor of practical methods. His "Odyssey," released on July 17, 2026, became the director's first film shot entirely on special IMAX cameras instead of standard film equipment. Furthermore, the team rejected computer graphics: instead of green screens, they built real ships and sets outdoors, and the volume of filmed footage exceeded 610 kilometers.
Netflix Consolidates Its Position
In March 2026, Netflix acquired the company InterPositive, founded by actor Ben Affleck. In an official statement on March 5, the company stated that it is developing AI tools created by filmmakers and for filmmakers, with an emphasis on preserving creative choice. Later, in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Netflix confirmed the deal amount — approximately $587 million.
In a letter to shareholders for the second quarter of 2026, published on July 16, Netflix reported that generative AI tools were used in approximately 300 projects in 2026, primarily at the post-production stage — to achieve high-quality results faster and cheaper. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, on the quarterly earnings call, stated that the technology gives creators better tools to realize their ideas, citing the documentary series "The American Experiment" as an example: 17 minutes of material with AI enhancements were created twice as fast and at half the cost of conventional methods.
Netflix had previously used generative AI for the final shot in the Argentine series "El Eternauta" (2025) to simulate the collapse of a building. According to Sarandos, this sequence was completed ten times faster than with traditional methods.
Google DeepMind and Amazon Join the Process
In June 2026, Google DeepMind and studio A24 announced a research partnership. In a company blog post dated June 22, it was stated that the collaboration aims to develop new workflows and techniques for artists, with Google investing about $75 million in A24.
Amazon is promoting AI tools for film production through AWS, which the industry calls part of the core infrastructure. The company supports initiatives like Project Nara and the GenAI Creators' Fund at Amazon MGM Studios.
Director Jon Erwin used generative AI tools in his film "Young Washington," which premiered in July 2026. According to him, the technology was used in approximately 100 shots — including for expanding river scenes and replacing dangerous filming conditions.
Risks of Low-Quality Content
Critics point to the risk of mass release of low-quality AI-generated content, citing Chinese AI micro-dramas as an example. In the first quarter of 2026, out of approximately 128,000 new micro-dramas, over 95% were generated using AI.
According to DataEye data for the first half of 2026, out of more than 221,900 new AI short videos, only 1,055 garnered over 100 million views, resulting in a hit rate of less than 0.5%.
Industry analysts and market participants note strong homogenization of plots — repetition of the same "reincarnation," "boss," and "cultivation" templates, technical artifacts like a "plastic" appearance and issues with hands and facial expressions, as well as a decline in quality due to the mass entry of inexperienced newcomers.
A Global Times publication dated August 2, 2026, indicated that high-quality AI works constitute less than 10%, while a large volume of low-grade AI content remains on the market.
Amidst the multi-million dollar investments by Netflix, Google, and Amazon, the question of balancing production acceleration with preserving creative control remains open for the entire film industry.
AI Opinion
From the perspective of machine data analysis, the investment race of Netflix, Google, and Amazon is unfolding against the backdrop of a not fully resolved labor issue. SAG-AFTRA members in June 2026 ratified a new TV-theatrical agreement that expands restrictions on the use of synthetic actor copies — the technological capabilities of studios continue to collide with the legal frameworks of unions. A parallel suggests itself with the film industry's transition to digital special effects in the 1990s: it also seemed then that the technology would entirely replace craftsmanship, but ultimately a hybrid labor market with new specialties formed. The situation demonstrates that the speed of AI adoption is determined not only by the technical capabilities of companies but also by the balance of bargaining power between studios and guilds. What share of the production budget are studios willing to allocate to negotiations with unions, rather than to the technology itself?
