If you have tuned into Netflix at any point this year, there's a good chance you may have watched content created with AI, as the streamer has admitted to using Gen AI on roughly 300 movies and shows this year alone.
On Thursday, July 16, Netflix updated its shareholders on the company's performance. In the shareholder letter, which has since been obtained by Kotaku, the streamer admitted to using AI tools in the production of many projects from the concept stage, right through to filming and editing, in order to cut costs and produce content more quickly.
"We are increasingly leveraging these tools to deliver higher quality output more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional methods," reads the letter, "In some cases, productions would have had to leave out key shots and sequences in the absence of GenAI technology." Netflix said that, for now, AI is mostly used in post-production and has been implemented "in roughly 300 of our titles" in 2026 alone.
The streamer failed to list all of the projects made using AI, but did mention a couple of titles, including Glory, The American Experiment, and Brasil 70: A Saga do Tri. Executive-produced by Tom Hanks and directed by Brian Knappenberger, The American Experiment is a five-part docuseries that explores the founding of the US and American democracy. However, Netflix says the team used GenAI on the show to enhance "crowds, historical battle sequences, and world-building establishing shots."
Netflix states that without AI, "productions would have had to leave out key shots and sequences," which makes us wonder if the site's AI use really just comes down to budget. Aside from using it in shows and movies, Netflix also applies AI to the site itself to "improve title discovery" via search and the homepage, and "better understand member preferences," so the app can recommend content tailored to users.
For more, check out our guides to the best Netflix movies and the best Netflix shows.
