Netflix used AI in 300 titles to cut costs as profit rose
Netflix has disclosed that generative AI was used in nearly 300 titles to cut costs and speed up production, setting a new benchmark for content economics that European media companies will be forced to confront.
Netflix deployed generative AI across nearly 300 titles at various stages of production, marking the streaming giant's most detailed admission yet of how it is integrating the technology into its content pipeline.
The disclosure accompanied second-quarter earnings for 2026, showing revenue of $12.56 billion, a 13% increase from the previous year. Net income reached $3.4 billion.
The technology was used most heavily in post-production to create visual elements that would otherwise have been too expensive to produce. Netflix cited the Indian thriller "Glory," the Brazilian series "Brasil 70: A Saga do Tri," and the US series "The American Experiment" as examples. Generative AI built complex crowd and battle sequences and world-building establishing shots for these projects.
Beyond scripted television and film, the company is also using AI for advertisement planning and creative production. “We are increasingly leveraging these tools to deliver higher-quality output more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional methods,” the company told shareholders.
For European broadcasters and studios, this represents a significant shift in the competitive landscape. By using AI to reduce post-production costs on international titles, Netflix is demonstrating a scalable model that could pressure local media groups. These European competitors often rely on traditional, labour-intensive production methods to attract global audiences.
Co-CEO Ted Sarando sought to frame the technology as an aid rather than a replacement for human labour. “We believe it takes great artists to make something great, and AI is not changing that,” he said, adding that “Movies are being made by people who make movies. AI provides them with better tools to make them even better.”
However, the financial success masks underlying concerns about the product itself. The earnings report arrives amid broader analysis pointing to a decline in viewer engagement with Netflix's programming. Critics, including the publication Consequence, have accused the platform of prioritising volume over quality.
That tension is perhaps most visible in the backlash surrounding an AI-generated version of the late actor Gene Wilder, a project critics have labelled abominable. The incident highlights the creative risks Netflix is willing to take as it chases higher margins through automation.
