Netflix said generative AI workflows have been used across approximately 300 of its films and series during 2026. Most of the activity has occurred in post-production, although the technology is also being applied from initial concept development through final delivery.
The company is using generative AI to create complex visual sequences more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional production methods. Netflix said the technology can make certain shots financially and operationally feasible when they might otherwise be removed from a production.
Examples include the Indian production Glory, the Brazilian title Brasil 70: A Saga do Tri and the U.S. documentary series The American Experiment. The projects used generative AI for enhanced crowd scenes, historical battles and worldbuilding establishing shots.
The American Experiment includes approximately 17 minutes of AI-enhanced footage. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said those sequences were produced twice as quickly and at half the cost of the production methods previously available.
Netflix believes the savings could be reinvested into additional programming rather than simply reducing its content budget. The company expects shorter production timelines and improved visual quality to produce more value from each dollar spent on films and series.
The company is using AI tools for set references, previsualization, visual effects, sequence preparation and shot planning. These applications are designed to support creators and production teams as they prepare and execute technically complicated scenes.
Netflix emphasized that generative AI is intended to assist creative professionals rather than replace them. The company said artists and filmmakers will continue to make the creative decisions while using AI to expand what can be achieved within available budgets and deadlines.
The streaming company has expanded its AI capabilities through multiple internal tools and operations. Sarandos identified InterPositive, Netflix’s Eyeline production technology and its animation lab as resources working together to support innovation across productions.
Netflix is also applying AI outside content production. The company is using large language models to improve title discovery, understand viewer preferences and support voice and natural-language search functions.
Within advertising, Netflix is deploying AI across campaign planning, creative production, management, optimization and reporting. The company is also automating additional transaction workflows to make its advertising inventory more accessible to smaller buyers.
Netflix disclosed the growing use of AI while reporting second-quarter revenue of approximately $12.56 billion, representing year-over-year growth of 13.4%. Operating income reached approximately $4.19 billion, while operating margin was 33.4%.
The company expects its advertising revenue to approximately double to $3 billion during 2026. Netflix said investments in AI-powered advertising tools and programmatic capabilities are supporting the continued expansion of that business.
Netflix members watched more than 97 billion hours of programming during the first half of 2026, an increase of 2% from the previous year. The company plans to begin publishing its broader What We Watched engagement report annually rather than twice per year beginning in 2027.
The disclosure provides the clearest indication yet of how broadly generative AI has entered Netflix’s content pipeline. Its use across hundreds of titles suggests the technology is moving from isolated experiments into a more established part of production operations.
