Netflix Admits To Using GenAI For 'The Eternaut': Here's How CEO Ted Sarandos Justified It
Netflix used generative AI for a VFX scene in 'The Eternaut', saying it made the process 10x faster and more affordable without compromising the creative vision.
Netflix admitted to using generative AI to bring a central scene of destruction to life in its Argentine sci-fi drama El Eternauta (The Eternaut). The company says this is the first time final GenAI footage has been used in one of its original productions. The company confirmed that it used generative AI in a limited way, aiming to enhance select scenes visually.
Breaking New Ground in VFX
The standout moment, that is, a building collapsing in Buenos Aires, was executed in collaboration with Netflix's in-house innovation hub, Eyeline Studios. According to co-CEO Ted Sarandos, the result is not only a visual spectacle but also a breakthrough in production efficiency.
“This was a sequence that was generated using generative AI that was 10 times faster than it could have been with traditional VFX tools,” Sarandos said during an earnings call, as reported by Reuters. “It would have been impossible to make on the budget otherwise.”
The Argentine series, El Eternauta, is based on the 1957 comic of the same name by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano López. It is one of the most significant pieces of Latin American graphic literature and features a post-apocalyptic world engulfed by alien invasion and deadly snowfall.
AI as a Creative Enabler, Not Just a Cost Cutter
For Netflix, the move is more than a technological milestone; it reflects a shifting mindset toward AI across the entertainment industry. Sarandos emphasised that the aim isn't to replace human creativity, but to amplify it as he added, “We look at AI as an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper.”
Expanding the Use of AI Beyond Production
Fellow co-CEO Greg Peters added that Netflix is actively experimenting with generative AI to enhance viewer experience and advertiser tools.
“Saying ‘I want to watch a film from the '80s that's a dark psychological thriller,’ (and getting) some results back … you just couldn't have done in our previous experiences,” Peters explained.
On the advertising front, Peters noted that GenAI could “decrease that hurdle iteratively over time” by enabling brands to create better-targeted campaigns.
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