US: Netflix has for the first time used generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the production of a television series, marking a significant shift in how content may be created in the future.
The Argentinian sci-fi show El Eternauta shows shift in the company’s production strategy, blending traditional filmmaking with cutting-edge AI technology to deliver faster, cheaper, and higher-quality content.
The milestone was revealed by Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-chief executive, during the company’s second-quarter earnings call. He confirmed that AI-powered tools were used in collaboration with visual effects (VFX) artists to create a scene in which a building collapses in Buenos Aires, a pivotal moment in the post-apocalyptic series, which is based on a toxic snowfall that devastates the city.
“Using AI-powered tools, they were able to achieve an amazing result with remarkable speed. That VFX sequence was completed 10 times faster than it would have been using traditional workflows,” Sarandos said.
NETFLIX USES AI IN HIT SHOW!
A few months ago in a video I mentioned I was really looking forward to the new Netflix show The Eternaut, based on the Argentine comic, El Eternauta.The show is really good, and I highly recommend it. But interest news just came out: indeed AI… pic.twitter.com/bx4DQcbTsO
— Theoretically Media (@TheoMediaAI) July 18, 2025
Sarandos emphasized that AI had enabled Netflix to fund the series at a fraction of the usual cost for a production of this scale, opening doors for more ambitious storytelling even within constrained budgets.
Despite concerns that the rise of AI in the entertainment industry could threaten jobs, particularly in the production and post-production sectors, Sarandos reiterated that the technology was intended to augment human creativity, not replace it.
The introduction of AI comes amid ongoing debate over its impact on the creative industry. In 2023, Hollywood actors and writers staged dual strikes, with AI being a key issue. The resulting agreements ensured that AI technologies would remain under the control of workers and not be used as replacements for them.
“Netflix’s better-than-expected quarter is a result of great content, increased pricing, and advertising momentum hitting all at once,” said Mike Proulx, Vice President of Research at Forrester.
