Netflix's AI Strategy Has a 25-Year-Old Precedent

Netflix’s AI strategy has a 25-year-old precedent, according to the article, linking today’s generative AI workflows to earlier film production automation. The piece cites Netflix’s Q2 shareholder letter, saying AI tools are being used in roughly 300 titles this year. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos highlighted a documentary called American Experiment, which used 17 minutes of AI-enhanced footage, produced “twice as fast” and “at half the cost.” The article then draws a parallel to 2001, when Peter Jackson’s Wētā Digital created MASSIVE, a software package that generated autonomous digital agents for large-scale battle scenes in The Lord of the Rings. It argues that AI tools affect production logistics without changing how stories are directed or written. Netflix’s current toolkit is described as including InterPositive (acquired in Q1 2026), iLine, and an “animation lab,” aimed at crowd enhancement, historical battle sequences, and establishing shots. The article concludes by framing AI as another step in evolving production technologies rather than a departure from prior industry shifts.