Amazon MGM Studios plans to test its proprietary AI tools for TV and film production through a closed beta program starting in March. The company launched a dedicated AI Studio last summer to develop these tools, targeting improvements in character consistency across shots and support for pre- and post-production processes.
According to a Reuters report, the tools have completed internal testing and are ready for external trials. Amazon will invite industry partners to participate in the beta, with initial outcomes expected by May. The company declined to provide additional details when contacted by TechCrunch.
The AI Studio is working with producers Robert Stromberg, known for Maleficent; Kunal Nayyar of The Big Bang Theory; and former Pixar animator Colin Brady to refine tool implementation. Amazon is utilizing Amazon Web Services for support and plans to collaborate with multiple large-language-model providers.
Albert Cheng, head of the AI Studios initiative, stated that the tools aim to support creative teams rather than replace them. Priorities include boosting efficiency, cutting costs, safeguarding intellectual property, and preventing AI-generated content from training other AI models. In Amazon’s series House of David, season two incorporated 350 AI-generated shots.
AI adoption in Hollywood has fueled discussions about its effects on employment, creativity, and filmmaking. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos disclosed that the series The Eternaut employed generative AI for a building-collapse scene.
Amazon has linked its AI advancements to workforce reductions, cutting 16,000 jobs in January after 14,000 layoffs the previous October.
