Netflix has confirmed its use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the production of one of its original sci-fi series, ‘The Eternaut.’ During its Q2 2025 earnings call, the streaming service disclosed that it employed AI technology to generate a scene depicting a building’s collapse. This revelation marks the first occasion the platform has acknowledged integrating AI into its original programming, reflecting a significant advancement in the capabilities of video generation AI models, which are now deemed mature enough for extensive film and show production.
Netflix Utilizes AI for The Eternaut
According to a report by Technology News, co-CEO Ted Sarandos confirmed the use of AI in an original series during the earnings call. He noted that employing AI for the specific scene proved to be a swifter alternative to traditional visual effects (VFX) methods. While Sarandos did not specify which AI models were utilized, he described the scene where AI-generated videos played a crucial role.
‘The Eternaut’ is Netflix’s latest post-apocalyptic sci-fi mystery thriller, which launched its inaugural season of eight episodes on April 30. Within the series, a scene illustrates a building collapsing in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as a train crashes into it. Rather than opting for traditional filming and subsequent VFX enhancements, Netflix turned to AI to synthetically create the entire sequence.
Sarandos informed shareholders that this VFX sequence was executed ten times faster than it could have been achieved with conventional VFX tools and processes. He emphasized that the costs associated with traditional methods would have been impractical for a production within the show’s budget.
The co-CEO further expressed Netflix’s growing confidence in AI’s potential, indicating plans to utilize the technology in upcoming projects to assist creators in enhancing both the quality and efficiency of films and series.
Netflix is not alone in exploring AI’s role in filmmaking. In 2024, the epic period drama ‘The Brutalist’ integrated AI to refine actors’ Hungarian dialogue and to realize certain architectural designs. The film garnered a nomination for Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars.
