During a high-profile session at the Busan International film festival, Netflix disclosed that artificial intelligence has already been woven into roughly 300 titles across its catalogue. The senior director of production for the Asia-Pacific region, Sung Q Lee detailed how the technology is surfacing at multiple stages of the filmmaking workflow – from early previsualization sketches to final visual effects (VFX) polishing.
Lee emphasized that the core question for creators is not the sheer volume of AI in a project, but rather how the tool can expand a story’s possibilities. He framed AI as a catalyst that can help a production achieve things that would otherwise be out of reach, especially for teams constrained by modest budgets.
Netflix’s AI footprint across 300 titles
The streaming giant’s internal data shows AI involvement in several key domains: generating set-dressing concepts drafting production design mock-ups, refining editing rhythms, and accelerating VFX pipelines. By feeding algorithms with reference material, artists can preview complex sequences before a physical shoot begins, trimming costly revisions later on. Lee noted that these applications are meant to serve the creative vision, not dictate it.
Unlike a wholesale replacement of human labor, Netflix treats the technology as a set of assistive tools. The company’s approach mirrors historic shifts – from the introduction of sound to color – where new equipment reshaped the “how” of filmmaking while leaving the “why” firmly in the hands of storytellers.
Panel insights: balancing technology and creativity
The discussion, co-hosted with the Motion Picture Association, also featured Korean director Kang Yun-sung and Wētā FX chief technology officer Kimball Thurston. All three agreed that the most valuable AI contribution is its ability to handle repetitive, time-consuming tasks, freeing creators to focus on emotional resonance.
Human judgment versus algorithmic efficiency
Kang, known for his action-driven film The Outlaws described AI as a “budget-leveler.” He recounted how generative models helped generate location ideas and background crowds that would have been prohibitively expensive to shoot. Thurston echoed this sentiment, labeling Wētā’s deployment of AI as “assistive AI” – a rapid visualizer that highlights errors for directors and cinematographers before the camera rolls.
Both Lee and Thurston warned that while AI can accelerate the technical side, it cannot replicate the nuanced human touch needed to evoke genuine feeling. “When it comes to conveying emotion, ultimately a human has to touch it,” Lee asserted, underscoring that the technology must remain a servant, not a master, of narrative intent.
Korean filmmakers test AI on the big screen
South Korean director Kang Yun-sung has been at the forefront of applying AI to feature-length storytelling. Last year he co-directed Run to the West with self-described AI filmmaker Kwon Han-seul a project billed as Korea’s first fully AI-assisted feature. The film struggled commercially, pulling in only about $100,000, and faced criticism over its visual quality – a cautionary tale about the rapid pace of AI development outpacing audience expectations.
Undeterred, Kang is now mid-production on an action epic titled The Gulf of Aden. The movie leans heavily on generative tools from China’s Kling AI, allowing the team to render elaborate set pieces and complex battle sequences without the traditional expense. Kang estimates that this AI-centric workflow trims
“What was once buried by budget constraints is now back on the table,” Kang explained, hinting that AI could unlock a broader slate of ambitious Korean projects that have long been sidelined. The director believes that by coupling algorithmic efficiency with his own creative instincts, the industry can finally break free from the financial shackles that have limited its growth.
As Netflix continues to experiment across its catalog, the industry watches to see whether this balance can be maintained at scale.
