Netflix Highlights Use of AI Tools in Nearly 300 Shows and Movies in 2026

In its latest earnings report, Netflix revealed plans to ramp up the use of generative AI across its productions, stating that around 300 shows and movies have already utilized this technology in 2026.

On Thursday, the company sent a letter to shareholders detailing its financial performance and growth. A significant portion of the letter highlighted Netflix’s increasing reliance on AI tools in the creation of content, including titles like The American Experiment and Brasil 70: A Saga do Tri. The excitement is palpable as Netflix touts how these generative AI tools will enable faster and more cost-effective content production. More content is on the way!

“We are increasingly leveraging these tools to deliver higher quality output more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional methods,” the letter stated. “In some cases, productions would have had to leave out key shots and sequences without GenAI technology.”

Netflix indicated that AI is now embedded in various stages of production, from initial concepts to pre-visualization, filming, and post-production. The majority of its use is in post-production for the approximately 300 shows and movies utilizing it this year.

For instance, in shows like The American Experiment, generative AI has been employed to enhance crowd scenes, historical battle sequences, and worldbuilding shots. The company noted that “in some cases, productions would have had to leave out key shots and sequences in the absence of GenAI technology.” It’s unclear whether this means those shots were impossible without AI or simply too expensive to produce, but it’s evident that Netflix is fully embracing AI to churn out more content to keep subscribers engaged.

AI is also making its way into the Netflix app itself, with plans to use large language models and AI to “improve title discovery” and “better understand member preferences.” The company claims that AI will enhance search functionality as well. What can’t AI do? Well, it still struggles to be a profitable technology that consistently delivers accurate results without the burden of massive data centers behind it.