By Gavin Boyle
Netflix revealed five guidelines its creators will have to follow in order to produce projects for the platform that include AI-generated content.
“The outputs do not replicate or substantially recreate identifiable characteristics of unowned or copyrighted material, or infringe any copyright-protected works. The generative tools do not store, reuse, or train on production data inputs or outputs. Where possible, generative tools are used in an enterprise-secured environment to safeguard inputs. Generated material is temporary and not part of the final deliverables. GenAI is not used to replace or generate new talent performances or union-covered work without consent,” Netflix outlined in a blog post.
“If you can confidently say ‘yes’ to all of the above, socializing the intended use with your Netflix contact may be sufficient. If you answer ‘no’ or ‘unsure’ to any of these principles, escalate to your Netflix constant for more guidance before proceeding, as written approval may be required,” the blog post continued.
Related: Is Your Favorite Netflix Show Using AI for Visual Effects?
What the lengthy blog post along with the guidelines makes clear is that Netflix is open to its creators using AI on their projects but emphasizes the legal risks of doing so. Furthermore, the company remains committed to its audience and providing them with an experience they can trust.
AI-generated content has already made its way onto the platform through the 2024 true crime documentary WHAT JENNIFER DID and with Argentinian movie THE ETERNAUT. While Netflix has highlighted THE ETERNAUT as a shining example of how the technology can be used to elevate a production without significantly raising costs, WHAT JENNIFER DID received heavy criticism for replacing real archival photos with AI-generated ones.
“Using AI-powered tools, [the creators of THE ETERNAUT] were able to achieve an amazing result with remarkable speed and, in fact, the VFX sequence was completed ten times faster than it could have been completed with traditional VFX tools and work flows,” said Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos when touting the success of the new tech.
“The creators were thrilled with the result. We were thrilled with the result, and more importantly the audience was thrilled with the result,” he continued. “So I think these tools are helping creators expand the possibilities of storytelling on screen, and that is endlessly exciting.”
The use of AI in the entertainment industry, however, remains controversial as creatives across the board worry about being replaced by the emerging technology. This wariness served as the major cause of the 2023 dual writers’ and actors’ strikes which stretched for multiple months as the union representatives and major studios had differing opinions about how AI should be used in the industry.
While Netflix is opening up its platform to AI-generated content, it also appears to be fighting for the rights of writers and actors as well by stipulating that the technology does not train on previous content without consent, nor does it replace talent. Whether this is enough remains to be seen. Maybe it will serve as the first major step for AI in the entertainment industry, or maybe it will put the streamer in hot water.
Read Next: Netflix Centers Future Content Plans Around AI
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