Latest news with #ElEternauta
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Netflix's wild new show used AI to create special effects: Why it matters
Netflix is taking a bold step into artificial intelligence by using video-generating AI for special effects in its new Argentine science fiction series, 'El Eternauta.' This development comes as the company, among many others, looks for faster and cheaper ways to create detailed visual effects and bring stories to life on screen. Ted Sarandos, the co-CEO of Netflix, explained that the company wants AI to help creators improve the quality of films and shows, not just to save money or reduce production time. For 'El Eternauta,' a key sequence shows a building collapsing in Buenos Aires. Instead of using traditional visual effects methods, the team tried AI-powered tools. According to Sarandos, this made the process much faster, finishing the sequence in a small fraction of the time it would usually take, Ars Technica reported. How AI will help Netflix Shows like 'El Eternauta' require massive amounts of VFX work, and using AI promises an easier way to manage tight budgets and deadlines. Complex shots, once reserved for big-budget films, are now possible for shows that would not have been able to afford them before. Netflix hopes the technology will open up new creative options for filmmakers and give more projects access to advanced effects. Also read Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Still, the rise of AI in TV and films has caused concern within the industry. Actors, writers, and artists are asking for clear rules to protect their jobs as studios adopt AI tools. Last year's extended strikes by performers and game voice actors were signs of growing anxiety about how this technology could change work across entertainment. Some viewers and critics are also wary. AI-generated effects do not always look natural and have attracted criticism for disrupting the feel of a film or show. There have been recent complaints about the quality of AI visuals in several big projects, sparking debates about the artistic value of computer-created images. Netflix has tested AI's potential in other areas before. Past documentaries have used AI to recreate voices or manipulate images, drawing both attention and controversy. Amazon and other major platforms are exploring similar paths, adding AI features for recapping shows or creating new language dubs. Sarandos says the aim remains to give storytellers more tools. He believes AI can stretch what is possible in television without limiting creative vision or replacing human ideas. The effect of these changes is still playing out, but Netflix's experiment with 'El Eternauta' suggests that AI is becoming an important part of TV and movie production.
Economic Times
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Netflix Ushers in a New Creative Era with Generative AI Debut in ‘El Eternauta'.
Synopsis For the first time in its history, Netflix has officially used generative AI in a fictional show, El Eternauta. This groundbreaking moment isn't just about visual effects—it's a larger signal that AI is being integrated as a core creative partner in global content production. The implications are vast: faster workflows, smarter budgets, and an evolution of storytelling itself. Netflix's adaptation of El Eternauta, the legendary Argentine graphic novel by Héctor Germán Oesterheld, was always going to be ambitious. The story centred around a mysterious snowfall in Buenos Aires that brings death from above, demanding high-stakes, cinematic worldbuilding. But instead of relying solely on traditional VFX pipelines, Netflix made a daring choice: integrating generative AI for the very first time in a show's post-production scene that marks this innovation? A building collapsed in Buenos Aires. Rather than hiring dozens of VFX artists or outsourcing to high-cost post-production houses, Netflix turned to its in-house Eyeline Studios, using AI to generate the scene in a fraction of the time and cost. This wasn't about cutting corners. It was about proving that a new creative paradigm had Sarandos, Netflix's co-CEO, revealed during the Q2 2025 earnings call that the building collapse was generated using AI and completed in 'a tenth of the time and cost' of traditional visual effects. That single phrase isn't just a passing remark—it's an executive roadmap. Netflix has always championed data-driven content strategy, and this is the next logical extension: optimizing not just what to make, but how to make a corporate standpoint, this is a case study in operational efficiency. AI allows Netflix to hit aggressive content deadlines, control production overheads, and enable higher creative risk without higher financial risk. For a platform pumping out hundreds of originals annually, generative AI doesn't just add value—it multiplies no shortage of anxiety around AI in creative industries, especially after the Hollywood strikes of 2023. Writers and actors demanded protections from AI's potential to replace human labour. But Netflix's use of AI in El Eternauta doesn't sideline artists—it empowers them. According to Sarandos, the AI-generated scene was created by 'real people doing real work' with the help of better tools. This distinction is critical. In the El Eternauta production pipeline, AI acted as a force multiplier—amplifying what human artists imagined, speeding up labour-intensive sequences, and allowing the production team to spend more time on storytelling, character, and narrative than automating away creativity, Netflix is making the case for augmented creativity, where AI picks up the tedious tasks and humans focus on what they do best: emotional depth, originality, and Eternauta isn't just any series. It's a cultural juggernaut in Latin America, deeply tied to Argentina's political history and national psyche. Producing a show with that level of regional gravity, and doing it justice on a global platform, was never going to be easy, especially without blockbuster-level AI made it possible. The technology democratizes scale, allowing regional stories to be produced with Hollywood-level polish. This matters in Netflix's broader international growth strategy, where local storytelling needs global-grade production. AI can bridge the gap between vision and feasibility, allowing more shows like El Eternauta to cross borders—and especially significant about this AI deployment is that it's not an isolated test—it's a preview of where Netflix is headed. Generative AI is already being tested across the company's workflow. Co-CEO Greg Peters said they're experimenting with AI-generated trailers, visual marketing assets, and even natural-language search prompts like, 'Show me romantic thrillers from the 1990s.'That integration points toward a multi-layered AI transformation: not just what's on screen, but how it's found, recommended, marketed, and monetized. Netflix isn't just tweaking one corner of its operations—it's retrofitting its entire content ecosystem for an AI-assisted the long-term payoff is massive: faster go-to-market timelines, smarter asset creation, more personalized user journeys, and ultimately, higher audience engagement—all without dramatically increasing appears to be playing within those guardrails. The El Eternauta case shows that when AI is used transparently, ethically, and as a support tool—not a replacement—it can unlock massive creative value. The company's public stance reflects a desire to build AI into the process without displacing the people who make stories success of El Eternauta is not about a single scene. It's about what that scene represents: Netflix's willingness to embrace next-gen tools without compromising on creative integrity. The result is a powerful signal to creators, investors, and competitors alike that AI is no longer a back-office experiment. It's a production might never notice that one scene was AI-generated—and that's the point. When done right, AI enhances the story without distracting from it. And for Netflix, that invisible efficiency is its greatest is more than just a smart way to cut costs or speed up timelines. It's the future of global entertainment—more accessible, more diverse, more scalable, and powered by a new creative partnership between humans and machines.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Netflix Ushers in a New Creative Era with Generative AI Debut in ‘El Eternauta'.
Creative Empowerment, Not Creative Replacement Live Events Future-Proofing Netflix's Ecosystem Not a Gimmick—A Strategic Signal Netflix's adaptation of El Eternauta , the legendary Argentine graphic novel by Héctor Germán Oesterheld, was always going to be ambitious. The story centred around a mysterious snowfall in Buenos Aires that brings death from above, demanding high-stakes, cinematic worldbuilding. But instead of relying solely on traditional VFX pipelines, Netflix made a daring choice: integrating generative AI for the very first time in a show's post-production scene that marks this innovation? A building collapsed in Buenos Aires. Rather than hiring dozens of VFX artists or outsourcing to high-cost post-production houses, Netflix turned to its in-house Eyeline Studios, using AI to generate the scene in a fraction of the time and cost. This wasn't about cutting corners. It was about proving that a new creative paradigm had Sarandos, Netflix's co-CEO, revealed during the Q2 2025 earnings call that the building collapse was generated using AI and completed in 'a tenth of the time and cost' of traditional visual effects. That single phrase isn't just a passing remark—it's an executive roadmap. Netflix has always championed data-driven content strategy, and this is the next logical extension: optimizing not just what to make, but how to make a corporate standpoint, this is a case study in operational efficiency. AI allows Netflix to hit aggressive content deadlines, control production overheads, and enable higher creative risk without higher financial risk. For a platform pumping out hundreds of originals annually, generative AI doesn't just add value—it multiplies no shortage of anxiety around AI in creative industries, especially after the Hollywood strikes of 2023. Writers and actors demanded protections from AI's potential to replace human labour. But Netflix's use of AI in El Eternauta doesn't sideline artists—it empowers to Sarandos, the AI-generated scene was created by 'real people doing real work' with the help of better tools. This distinction is critical. In the El Eternauta production pipeline, AI acted as a force multiplier—amplifying what human artists imagined, speeding up labour-intensive sequences, and allowing the production team to spend more time on storytelling, character, and narrative than automating away creativity, Netflix is making the case for augmented creativity, where AI picks up the tedious tasks and humans focus on what they do best: emotional depth, originality, and Eternauta isn't just any series. It's a cultural juggernaut in Latin America, deeply tied to Argentina's political history and national psyche. Producing a show with that level of regional gravity, and doing it justice on a global platform, was never going to be easy, especially without blockbuster-level AI made it possible. The technology democratizes scale, allowing regional stories to be produced with Hollywood-level polish. This matters in Netflix's broader international growth strategy, where local storytelling needs global-grade production. AI can bridge the gap between vision and feasibility, allowing more shows like El Eternauta to cross borders—and especially significant about this AI deployment is that it's not an isolated test—it's a preview of where Netflix is headed. Generative AI is already being tested across the company's workflow. Co-CEO Greg Peters said they're experimenting with AI-generated trailers, visual marketing assets, and even natural-language search prompts like, 'Show me romantic thrillers from the 1990s.'That integration points toward a multi-layered AI transformation: not just what's on screen, but how it's found, recommended, marketed, and monetized. Netflix isn't just tweaking one corner of its operations—it's retrofitting its entire content ecosystem for an AI-assisted the long-term payoff is massive: faster go-to-market timelines, smarter asset creation, more personalized user journeys, and ultimately, higher audience engagement—all without dramatically increasing appears to be playing within those guardrails. The El Eternauta case shows that when AI is used transparently, ethically, and as a support tool—not a replacement—it can unlock massive creative value. The company's public stance reflects a desire to build AI into the process without displacing the people who make stories success of El Eternauta is not about a single scene. It's about what that scene represents: Netflix's willingness to embrace next-gen tools without compromising on creative integrity. The result is a powerful signal to creators, investors, and competitors alike that AI is no longer a back-office experiment. It's a production might never notice that one scene was AI-generated—and that's the point. When done right, AI enhances the story without distracting from it. And for Netflix, that invisible efficiency is its greatest is more than just a smart way to cut costs or speed up timelines. It's the future of global entertainment—more accessible, more diverse, more scalable, and powered by a new creative partnership between humans and machines.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Generative AI is more than just a cost saver for us: Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos
Synopsis Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos sees generative AI as a tool to enhance creativity, not just cut costs. In El Eternauta, AI enabled faster, cheaper visual effects. Netflix also uses AI for personalisation, search, and ads.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix slipped something new into your favorite show
For the first time, a hit Netflix show used something unusual to craft a final scene: AI. This new tax deduction in Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' lets people cash in on charitable donations up to $2,000. Here's what to know Housing market 'red flare': Moody's chief economist sees home price declines spreading Ikea is launching new smart home products, and they're designed to be extra easy to use On its quarterly earnings call, the company's co-CEO, Ted Sarandos, highlighted the use of generative AI in the sci-fi series El Eternauta (The Eternaut), which debuted on April 30. The postapocalyptic series adapts an Argentine comic of the same name, following survivors of a toxic snowfall that blankets Buenos Aires. The scene in question shows a dramatic building collapse, a feat that Sarandos argues wouldn't have been in budget without leaning on AI. Sarandos says that Netflix's Eyeline Studios partnered with the show's creative team to incorporate 'virtual production and AI-powered VFX' into a final scene. 'Using AI powered tools, they were able to achieve an amazing result with remarkable speed and in fact, that VFX sequence was completed 10 times faster than it could have been completed with . . . traditional VFX tools and workflows,' Sarandos said. While El Eternauta might be Netflix's first foray into using AI to generate final footage, the tech-forward company likely already incorporates AI into other workflows. Netflix doesn't share Hollywood's AI worries Even as companies like Netflix embrace AI, many workers in Hollywood have major qualms with the technology. Concerns about AI in film and TV surfaced during the monthslong Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike in 2023, which sought to block AI from impacting writers' pay and training on their work. The actors' union SAG-AFTRA, which joined the WGA, also sought to protect actors from having their likenesses used without compensation. In spite of those misgivings, AI is already popping up in film and television, including at this year's Oscars. Both Emilia Perez and The Brutalist used AI to finesse actors' voices—a boon that boosted Adrian Brody's Hungarian accent and may have contributed to his best actor win. AI's detractors in Hollywood are as concerned as ever, but given its tech-industry mindset and Silicon Valley DNA, Netflix isn't squeamish. 'We remain convinced that AI represents an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper,' Sarandos said. 'They're AI-powered creator tools. So this is real people doing real work with better tools.' This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter: Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
