Netflix’s AI Experiment in “The Eternaut”
For the first time, Netflix has quietly slipped artificial intelligence into one of its TV shows—not in some flashy, futuristic sci-fi, but in an Argentinian drama called *The Eternaut*. The series, which follows survivors after a deadly toxic snowfall, used AI to pull off a tricky visual effect: a collapsing building in Buenos Aires.
Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-CEO, mentioned it on an earnings call, calling the tech an “incredible opportunity.” But he was careful to frame it as a tool, not a replacement. The scene, he said, was finished ten times faster than traditional methods would’ve allowed. That’s a big deal for productions where time and money are always tight.
Still, it’s hard to ignore the unease around AI in Hollywood. Sarandos insists the creators—and audiences—were happy with the result. Maybe that’s true. But it’s also true that AI’s creeping into more corners of the industry, and not everyone’s cheering.
Beyond Special Effects
Netflix isn’t just using AI for explosions or crumbling buildings. Greg Peters, the other co-CEO, hinted at experiments with voice-powered recommendations. Imagine asking your TV, “Find me a creepy ‘80s thriller,” and it actually gets it right. Peters thinks tools like this could make subscriptions feel more worthwhile.
But there’s a flip side. In its annual SEC filing, Netflix admitted it’s worried about falling behind if rivals lean harder into AI. It’s a weird tension—the company wants to harness the tech without alienating creators or viewers.
The Fear Factor
AI might save time and money, but at what cost? A report last year by CVL Economics predicted over 200,000 film and TV jobs could be upended by 2027, with entry-level workers hit hardest. That’s not just artists and writers—it’s assistants, editors, even post-production crews.
Hollywood’s bigwigs talk about AI “unleashing creativity,” but for many working in the industry, it feels more like a threat. Sure, a collapsing building looks great when AI helps render it. But if the trade-off is fewer jobs, or shoddier working conditions, is it really progress?
Netflix isn’t backing down, though. Whether audiences—or workers—like it or not, AI’s here. The question is how much it’ll change the stories we watch, and who gets to tell them.
