Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos is doubling down on artificial intelligence—not just as a cost-cutter, but as a creative supercharger for the entertainment industry. In new remarks this week, Sarandos argued that AI is helping filmmakers expand their vision while also streamlining production, calling the technology “an incredible opportunity.”

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Sarandos said, “AI represents an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper.” The Netflix chief emphasized that real human work is still at the core of production, but with better tools. “Our creators are already seeing the benefits in production through pre-visualization and shot planning work, and certainly visual effects,” he said.

This isn’t just talk—Netflix has already tested the waters. A sci-fi series out of Argentina called The Eternaut incorporated AI extensively during both pre- and post-production. Sarandos revealed that one complex sequence involving a building collapse was rendered in half the usual time thanks to AI-driven effects, delivering results that delighted everyone involved—including the viewers.

“The creators were thrilled with the result. We were thrilled with the result. And more importantly, the audience was thrilled with the result,” Sarandos said. “These tools are helping creators expand the possibilities of storytelling on screen, and that is endlessly exciting.”

But not everyone is sold on AI’s impact—especially in Hollywood. Back in 2023, both actors and writers went on strike, citing deep concerns that AI would replace them altogether. The Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA accused studios of dodging key protections around AI use. In particular, actors feared that their likenesses could be copied and reused indefinitely without compensation or consent.

While that strike eventually ended with some concessions, the issue hasn’t gone away. Many performers and voice actors in the gaming industry are now raising similar concerns, as AI becomes increasingly capable of replicating human speech and behavior.

Despite those fears, Sarandos maintains that AI is meant to be a tool, not a threat. “This is real people doing real work with better tools,” he emphasized. For Netflix, that means continuing to experiment with AI as a way to enhance storytelling—not just pad the bottom line.

Sarandos’s vision suggests a future where filmmakers can do more, faster, and possibly for less—but whether that balance holds as AI grows more powerful remains to be seen. For now, the company that helped disrupt television is once again pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, this time by putting artificial intelligence front and center in the creative process.