- Streaming giant Netflix has revealed that 300 movies and shows used generative AI in 2026
- The news was shared in a shareholder letter, obtained by the website Kotaku
- Generative AI was used to “enhance crowds, historical battle sequences, and worldbuilding establishing shots.”
Netflix has recently admitted to using AI tools in a huge number of its movies and shows, with the shocking announcement delivered in its shareholder letter on July 16.
According to Kotaku, which obtained the shareholder letter, Netflix says that AI is now fully integrated into many different projects and is used from the concept stage through pre-visualization, filming, and post-production.
They also revealed that generative AI was mostly used in post-production across the 300 shows and movies using it in 2026.
“We are increasingly leveraging these tools to deliver higher quality output more quickly and at a lower cost than traditional methods,” Netflix said in the shareholder letter. “In some cases, productions would have had to leave out key shots and sequences in the absence of GenAI technology.”
Using The American Experiment as an example, Netflix added that using generative AI tools “enhanced crowds, historical battle sequences, and worldbuilding establishing shots.”
It's not just the best streaming service's shows that are affected either, as AI is also working its way into the app itself, with Netflix explaining that it will use LLMs and AI to “improve title discovery” and “better understand member preferences.”
First they cancel all my favorite shows, now they're using AI
Netflix has made a lot of poor decisions in recent months. Recently, my colleague Rowan Davies criticized the streamer for chasing YouTube content, saying he was worried they don't actually care about the future of their shows and movies.
I'm inclined to agree, too, as the streaming service has a track record of cancelling its shows. Just recently, The Boroughs was canceled after one season, and it's not the first time they've abandoned shows early on.
They have also used an AI-generated voice of the late actor Gene Wilder in a new reality show, which our editor at large, Lance Ulanoff, said was "too far".
This, teamed with the most recent AI announcement, has filled me with despair, and I'm worried a lot of my favorite Netflix shows aren't getting the love they deserve.
This decision will no doubt divide fans, but this is the kind of thing that's going to make me turn away from Netflix and prioritize other streaming services instead. It feels like Netflix is falling out of love with its shows, and I'm starting to do the same.
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