Amazon to use AI to boost film, TV production

Amazon plans to use AI to accelerate film and TV production.

Amazon MGM Studio is developing AI tools to reduce costs and streamline creative workflows, with a closed beta set to launch in March.

Industry partners will test the tools, with results expected by May.

Amazon emphasizes that human involvement will remain central, with AI serving as a tool to support writers, directors, actors, and designers throughout production.

The initiative, led by veteran executive Albert Cheng, is part of Amazon’s effort to address rising production costs.

Amazon Web Services is providing cloud support and collaborating with multiple AI providers.

The move follows recent layoffs at Prime Video, partly cited as due to AI-driven efficiencies.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

This AI studio is already testing tools and hiring for specific skills

Amazon has already used AI in production. Its series “House of David” combined AI with live-action footage to create battle scenes for season two at lower cost 1.
The initiative is called AI Studio. It runs like a startup and works with producer Robert Stromberg (“Maleficent”) plus former Pixar and Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) animator Colin Brady to develop tools and figure out how to use them well 1.
Amazon already uses AI for viewer features, including Dialogue Boost that clarifies speech, and X-Ray Recaps that generates summaries 2.
Job listings call for a mixed background. They ask for skill with visual effects (VFX) software like Nuke, familiarity with generative AI platforms, and knowledge of intellectual property (IP) issues plus ethical questions around generative media 3.

This effort focuses on budgets and a new production workflow

Amazon aims to rein in rising production budgets by using AI to lower costs and speed parts of the process, while keeping writers, directors, actors, and designers at the center 4.
Lower costs could help Amazon MGM Studios fund more projects. Amazon MGM Studios spent $8.5 billion to acquire MGM in 2022, which adds pressure to manage risk per release 5.
The program also promotes Amazon Web Services (AWS). Amazon relies on AWS support to build the tools 1.
Amazon has not said it will sell the tools. It plans a closed beta in March with industry partners, and it expects results by May 1.