Hollywood reframes AI as infrastructure, not replacement

Hollywood is investing heavily in AI, positioning it as infrastructure, not as a replacement for creators. Streamers like Netflix, Peacock and Prime Video are already actively building AI into production and the viewer experience. Netflix recently announced a deal to acquire Ben Affleck's startup that uses AI to support the post-production process, while Peacock rolled out a new AI avatar of TV personality Andy Cohen to help viewers discover content within its app. Plus, high-profile creatives and directors are starting to lighten their negative rhetoric around AI. "I am not for AI if it replaces a creative individual," said filmmaker Steven Spielberg at SXSW, but he added that he sees the value of it "in many disciplines." Albert Cheng, head of AI Studios at Amazon MGM Studios, has embraced the "creator in the loop" model, where AI is integrated across production workflows with strict guardrails where humans still make the decisions. "AI [use] must be human-centered. That is a North Star. We had to think through how AI can be applied to each of our workflows, and also make sure that people are driving the creative process."