Amazon is taking bold steps to integrate artificial intelligence into the filmmaking process, aiming to speed up production while lowering costs, even as some Hollywood professionals worry about the potential impact on jobs and creative roles, Reuters reports.
Veteran entertainment executive Albert Cheng is spearheading the initiative at Amazon MGM Studio, leading a team focused on building AI tools designed to streamline pre- and post-production workflows. A closed beta program is set to launch in March, with industry partners invited to test the tools and initial results expected by May.
The AI Studio operates like a small startup, following Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s “two pizza team” philosophy, which emphasizes agile, focused teams. Most team members are engineers and scientists, supported by a smaller creative and business staff.
Cheng stressed to Reuters that AI is intended to enhance, not replace, human creativity. Writers, directors, actors, and character designers will continue to play a central role in production, using AI as a supportive tool to improve efficiency and creative consistency.
According to the report, the studio is developing AI capabilities to maintain character consistency, integrate with standard creative software, and bridge the “last mile” between existing consumer AI solutions and the precise control filmmakers require.
Amazon Web Services will provide cloud computing support, and the company is collaborating with multiple large language model providers to expand creative options. Protecting intellectual property and ensuring AI-generated content is not inadvertently absorbed into other models remains a priority.
High-profile collaborators on the project include producers Robert Stromberg (Maleficent), Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory), and former Pixar and ILM animator Colin Brady. The AI-assisted series House of David has already served as an early example of the technology in action.
