Last summer, Amazon MGM Studios launched a dedicated AI Studio to develop proprietary AI tools to speed up TV and film production, focusing on areas such as improving character consistency across all images and supporting pre- and post-production.
According to reports from Reutersthe tool is now ready to go beyond internal testing. Amazon will begin a closed beta program in March, inviting industry partners to test its AI tools.
Amazon said it expects to show preliminary results from the program in May. The company chose not to elaborate further on the development when approached by TechCrunch for comment.
AI Studio collaborated with famous producers like Robert Stromberg, known for “Maleficent,” Kunal Nayyar of “The Big Bang Theory,” and former animator Colin Brady of Pixar to learn the best way to implement the tool. Amazon is also tapping Amazon Web Services for support and plans to work with several LLM providers.
Albert Cheng, who leads the AI Studios initiative, emphasized that the goal is to support creative teams, not replace them. It focuses on improving efficiency and reducing costs while ensuring that intellectual property is protected and that AI-generated content is not absorbed into other AI models. One example I use is Amazon’s “House of David” series, which is featured 350 shot AI-generated in the second season.
However, the rise of AI adoption in Hollywood has created a lot of debate. Many people in the industry are worried about what this means for jobs, creativity, and the future of filmmaking.
The conversation about AI is only getting louder as more companies try these new tools. For example, Netflix has also jumped on the AI bandwagon, with Co-CEO Ted Sarandos announcing that the series “The Eternaut” using 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 eliminated 16,000 projects in January, below 14,000 layoffs Last October.