A Building Collapse, Made by AI
Netflix recently shared that it used generative AI to create a major scene in its Argentine series El Atonata. The scene? A building collapse. Instead of using traditional visual effects (which can take a long time and cost a lot), the team used AI to finish the scene in a fraction of the time — about ten times faster — and for less money.
This wasn’t a random experiment. Netflix’s in-house production team worked closely with the creators to get the job done using AI tools. The result looked great, stayed within budget, and didn’t slow down the production timeline.
More Than Just Visual Effects
AI at Netflix isn’t limited to making explosions or collapsing buildings. The company is also using AI to improve how we interact with the platform.
- Smarter Search: You can now type in more natural requests, like “romantic comedies with a happy ending,” and get better results.
- Personalized Recommendations: AI helps fine-tune what shows and movies appear on your home screen.
- Interactive Ads (Coming Soon): Netflix is working on ads that respond to what you do — thanks again to AI.
Behind the scenes, AI is helping creators with things like pre-visualizing scenes and planning camera shots. What used to be possible only with big Hollywood budgets is now more accessible to smaller teams too.
Final Thought
Netflix isn’t trying to replace artists with machines. Instead, it’s using AI as a helpful tool — speeding things up, lowering costs, and opening doors to new possibilities. Most viewers might not even notice, but a lot is quietly changing behind the scenes.
As long as AI stays in the “helping, not replacing” lane, it could mean more variety, better effects, and maybe even more creative freedom for storytellers.
We’re just at the beginning — and it’ll be interesting to see what Netflix (and other studios) do next.
