Hollywood reframes AI as infrastructure, not replacement

State of play: 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."

Driving the news: 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."
• "We'll always use human writers, actors, directors, heads of departments, among others. These are all very important. And part of that is the construct of copyright protection. ...In order for us to protect copyright, we need to have human inputs in all parts of the creative process," he added.

Currently, Amazon Studios is using AI to map scenes before filming and support post-production effects.

• The result has been faster production and fewer bottlenecks, said Cheng. "You can shoot something and see near-final visuals the same day," he added.
• The time and cost savings decrease the amount of time between seasons and are being reinvested in the creation of more content and storytelling, says Cheng.

Zoom out: AI isn't just changing how content is made, but it's also reshaping how films and shows are distributed and consumed.

• At Prime Video, AI is already powering personalized recommendations, shorter, AI-generated synopses and accessibility features like dialogue enhancement and audio descriptions.

Zoom in: Cheng works hand-in-hand with Raf Soltanovich, who oversees technology for Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, to help build AI-powered tools in support of creators.

• Soltanovich says the goal is a flywheel between tech and creativity.
• "Powerful, forward-thinking creators are really leaning in to deeply understand what is possible, and how this can actually help elevate their storytelling," says Soltanovich.
• It has also helped the technical staff better understand the creative concerns and the additional research or investment needed to tell better stories, Soltanovich added.

What to watch: AI could reshape the economics of entertainment and lower the barrier to entry.

• "We can actually fit five movies into what we would typically spend on one," says Cheng. "If anything, I think [AI] can actually increase, improve and expand the possibilities."
• Cheng believes AI studios could be the next wave of entrepreneurship as the tech allows more individuals to "be their own content studio."

What's next: AI has been a critical piece of the ongoing negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which began last month.

The bottom line: What used to be universal fear is now curiosity.

More on Axios:

• Hollywood's copyright fight meets China's AI boom
• Hollywood hedges against AI, creator disruption with new labor deals