Google DeepMind and A24 have announced a research partnership to develop AI filmmaking tools. Google invested roughly $75 million in the independent studio as part of the deal, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the collaboration Monday.
The partnership pairs DeepMind’s research capabilities with one of independent film’s most prominent studios. A24, whose recent films include Backrooms, will give Google’s lab direct access to working filmmakers as it builds new tools and workflows. The deal does not change A24’s ownership structure, and the studio remains independent.
What Google and A24’s AI filmmaking research covers
Eli Collins, VP of Product at Google DeepMind, described the arrangement in a blog post published Monday. A24 filmmakers will work alongside DeepMind researchers across multiple projects over time, feeding back direct input as tools are built. Collins described the studio’s role as ensuring “the tools of the future are shaped by the creators who use them.”
In exchange, A24 receives access to DeepMind’s research infrastructure, technical resources, and global reach. For an independent studio, those represent resources that would otherwise be out of reach. DeepMind, meanwhile, gains firsthand feedback from working filmmakers throughout the development process, rather than shipping tools and responding to reactions after release.
Collins was clear about what the deal does not include: it is not a production arrangement, not an IP deal, and not a data training agreement. A24 and its filmmakers keep full creative control. The investment size is comparable to previous rounds the studio has raised, including one backed by Thrive.
Not a data training deal
The explicit carve-out around data training carries weight in the current environment. AI companies working in video, music, and image generation have faced legal challenges and industry pushback over training on copyrighted material without consent. This partnership is structured differently: A24 contributes creative expertise and feedback, not content for model training.
Collins described the collaboration as “the beginning of a collaborative journey, one rooted in research and shared curiosity.” He offered no timeline for when any tools might be released, and no specific applications or project details were disclosed alongside the announcement.
Google’s broader push into creative AI filmmaking
Google has been expanding DeepMind’s work into creative sectors, particularly in fields where its AI research has practical applications for professional workflows. The A24 partnership gives the lab a direct connection to working filmmakers during the development process. Collins described this as filling a practical gap: tools built inside research labs often miss how working artists operate in practice.
For A24, the deal provides early access to DeepMind’s capabilities before they reach the broader market. The studio can shape how those tools develop, rather than simply adopting a finished product. Collins wrote that the goal is to “expand their storytelling possibilities,” a broad framing that leaves the scope of the collaboration open-ended.