Amazon is planning to use artificial intelligence to speed up the making of films and television shows while controlling rising production costs. The company says AI will support creativity, not replace people, even as many in Hollywood worry that the technology could reduce jobs.
According to reports, Amazon MGM Studios has formed a special team to build new AI tools for filmmaking. The team is led by Albert Cheng, a senior entertainment executive. Amazon believes AI can help studios make more content at lower costs, at a time when big budgets are limiting creativity and risk-taking.
Amazon plans to start a closed testing programme for these AI tools in March. Selected industry partners will take part, and early results are expected by May. Cheng said the high cost of making films and shows has made it difficult for studios to experiment or produce more projects, and AI could help solve this problem.
The new AI Studio follows Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s “two-pizza team” idea, meaning it will stay small and flexible. The team will mostly include engineers and scientists, with a few creative and business experts. Their goal is to develop tools that solve real production problems, such as keeping characters consistent across scenes and improving workflows using existing filmmaking software.
There are concerns that AI could replace writers, actors, and directors. Cheng addressed these fears clearly. He said AI is meant to assist human creativity, not replace it. Amazon has promised that writers, directors, actors, and designers will stay involved at every stage of production.
Amazon will use its cloud platform, Amazon Web Services, and work with different AI model providers. This gives creators more choices during pre-production and post-production. Protecting creative ownership and intellectual property is also a top priority.
Amazon is already working with well-known creators, including director Robert Stromberg, actor Kunal Nayyar, and former Pixar animator Colin Brady. One early example is the series House of David, where AI was used to create large battle scenes at lower cost. Amazon believes this approach shows how AI can expand creative possibilities without losing the human touch.
