Netflix CEO says AI can make movies better, not just cheaper

James Cameron says we need AI in blockbuster movies to make them 50% cheaper. Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos rebuts this week that we can use it to make them «10% better» instead.

The debate started last week when Cameron took to a podcast to explain his board role at Stability AI, claiming he wanted to «figure out» the technology and how it can help in movies.

— If we want to continue to see the kinds of movies that I’ve always loved and that I like to make and that I will go to see — ‘Dune,’ ‘Dune: Part Two,’ or one of my films or big effects-heavy, CG-heavy films — we’ve got to figure out how to cut the cost of that in half, Cameron said, according to Variety last week.

Lots of AI in the movies already
Netflix’s Sarandos picked up on those comments during his latest earnings call on Thursday, according to Deadline, and said AI is already in use for things such as «doing set references, pre-vis, VFX sequence prep, shot planning, all kinds of things today that kind of make the process better,» adding that «There’s a ton of excitement about what AI can do for content creators.»

Cameron did, however moderate his statements somewhat, saying it was not about firing people, but making the big blockbuster, effects laden movies more efficient — so the shot takes less time to produce and actors can get to work creating the magic.

— Now that’s not about laying off half the staff and at the effects company. That’s about doubling their speed to completion on a given shot, so your cadence is faster and your throughput cycle is faster, and artists get to move on and do other cool things and then other cool things, right? That’s my sort of vision for that, said Cameron in the same breath.

Actors went on strike
In 2023, the actor unions went on a four month strike against AI use in the movies, to protect their likeness from being used in future roles without compensation, along with having creative control of how their likeness is used, if ever.

This resulted in a deal with strong protections for the actors, but AI is now apparently finding other ways to improve filmmaking.

Expensive tools become commonplace
Sarandos said that instead of using AI to slash big budgets, AI is being used to put what used to be really expensive visual effects, like de-aging, within the reach of smaller creators.

He referred to the Netflix movie The Irishman, which used very expensive de-aging technology to make Robert De Niro look younger, and how these tools, just five years later are in the hands of smaller budget projects, like Pedro Páramo:

— Using AI-powered tools, [the director] was able to deliver de-aging effects on the screen at a fraction of what it cost for The Irishman, Sarandos said.

— In fact, the entire budget of the film was about what the VFX cost on The Irishman. So, same creator using new tools, better tools, to do what was impossible five years ago – that’s incredibly exciting.

Read more: Deadline.com, Variety, Yahoo/insider.