Netflix’s Ted Sarandos: Generative AI Tools Will Be a ‘Great Way for Creators to Tell Better Stories’

variety.com:

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor What the long-term impact of generative AI will be on Hollywood is “hard to predict,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said — but he took a shot at addressing it anyway.

Sarandos, speaking on the streamer’s Q2 earnings interview, said, “I think that AI is going to generate a great set of creator tools, a great way for creators to tell better stories.” And, he said, the business case for generative AI isn’t to reduce costs but to improve the quality of storytelling. “There’s a lot of filmmakers and a lot producers experimenting with AI today,” he said. “They’re super excited about how useful a tool it can be.

We’ve got to see how that develops before we make any meaningful predictions about what it means for anybody. But our goal remains unchanged, which is telling great stories.” His response was prompted by a question from an analyst who cited Variety‘s “Strictly Business” podcast this week with CTO Elizabeth Stone.

In the interview, she said that the current gen-AI wave is “a step function in that technology” and said Netflix is exploring how to integrate it into the product to improve the member experience or how it could “enable creators and bring their visions to life in an even better way.” Stone shared that the company is working on a generative-AI project she described as an “interactive discovery experience.” During the Q2 interview, Sarandos said, “One thing that’s sure, if you look back over 100 years of entertainment, you can see how great technology and great entertainment work hand-in-hand to build great big businesses.” Sarandos said you don’t need to look further than animation. “Animation didn’t get cheaper, it got better in the move from hand-drawn to CG animation,” he said..