Last summer, Amazon MGM Studios launched a dedicated AI Studio to develop proprietary AI tools to streamline TV and film production, focusing on areas such as improving character consistency across shots and pre- and post-production support.
According to a Reuters report, these tools are now ready to move beyond internal testing. Amazon will launch a closed beta program in March, inviting industry partners to try out its AI tools.
Amazon said it expects to share the first results of the program by May. The company declined to provide further details about the development when approached by TechCrunch for comment.
AI Studio works with notable producers such as Robert Stromberg of “Maleficent” fame, Kunal Nayyar of “The Big Bang Theory” and former Pixar animator Colin Brady to learn the best way to implement these tools. Amazon also uses Amazon Web Services for support and intends to work with several LLM providers.
Albert Cheng, who heads the AI Studios initiative, emphasized that the goal is to support creative teams, not replace them. The focus is on improving efficiency and reducing costs while ensuring that intellectual property is protected and AI-generated content is not absorbed into other AI models. One example used is Amazon’s “David’s House” series, which featured 350 AI-generated images in its second season.
However, the rise of AI adoption in Hollywood has created a lot of debate. Many in the industry are concerned about what this means for jobs, creativity and the future of filmmaking.
Conversations around artificial intelligence are getting louder as more and more companies experiment with these new tools. For example, Netflix has also jumped on the AI bandwagon, with co-director Ted Sarandos revealing that its series “The Eternaut” used generative AI to create a building collapse scene.
In recent years, Amazon has cited its success with AI as a factor in layoffs. The company recently cut 16,000 jobs in January after 14,000 layoffs last October.