Netflix‘s generative AI tools touched nearly 300 titles in production, the company disclosed in its second-quarter 2026 earnings report. The figure is one of the clearest public accountings yet of how a major studio uses the technology. It covers work from early concept through final release, as streaming rivals face similar questions about their own reliance on AI.
Netflix named three examples. The Indian thriller Glory follows boxers and revenge. The Brazilian series Brasil 70: A Saga do Tri and the American Revolution series The American Experiment also used the tools. Generative AI built what Netflix called “highly complex sequences,” including enlarged crowds, battle scenes, and establishing shots. The company said those shots would otherwise have been cut for cost or schedule reasons.
Where Netflix’s generative AI use is concentrated
The heaviest use falls in post-production, according to the report. Netflix said the tools now touch nearly every stage of making a show or movie. The company is also applying generative AI to advertisement planning and creative production for its ad-supported tier.
“We are increasingly leveraging these tools to deliver higher-quality output more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional methods,” Netflix told shareholders in the report.
Sarandos says AI will not replace filmmakers
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos addressed the disclosure on an earnings call covered by Variety. He framed generative AI as a production tool, not a replacement for writers, directors, and crews.
“We believe it takes great artists to make something great, and AI is not changing that,” Sarandos said. “Movies are being made by people who make movies. AI provides them with better tools to make them even better.” He added that the tools give creatives “better tools to bring their visions to life.”
The comments come three years after the 2023 Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes. AI protections for writers and performers were central to both labor disputes. The WGA’s contract restricted studios from using AI-generated material to undermine writing credit or pay. SAG-AFTRA’s deal required consent and compensation before a studio could create a digital replica of a performer. Netflix’s disclosure is among the most specific any major studio has offered on its use of generative AI. It shows the tools embedded across productions, not confined to isolated experiments.
Netflix’s second-quarter results
The AI disclosure came alongside Netflix’s broader second-quarter 2026 financial results. Revenue reached $12.56 billion, up a bit more than 13% year over year. Net income for the quarter reached $3.4 billion.
Netflix has not said how many titles used generative AI in prior quarters. There is no baseline yet to show whether the nearly 300 figure is growth or a stable share of its production slate. The company has not indicated it will publish the figure again in future earnings reports.