Netflix Moves Forward with an AI-Focused Animation Studio

Over the past several years, most major corporations across the world have begun investing in AI in some capacity. It sounds like Netflix is no exception.

The streaming giant is set to become the latest major entertainment firm to enter the AI space, as Netflix seems to be building up an internal studio to produce animated short-form content using AI, and potentially scaling it into long-form content at some point in the future.

As first reported by Janko Roettgers’ Lowpass on The Verge, several recent job postings indicate that the streaming giant has been building up an internal studio called INKubator that will focus on AI content.

While Netflix has previously moved into the AI space, acquiring InterPositive, an AI startup founded by Ben Affleck. However, as Lowpass points out, InterPositive is primarily focused on the use of AI in post-production, but INKubator appears to be set to go much further into the AI space.

A listing for INKubator’s head of technology calls it “our next-generation, creative-led, GenAI-native animation studio,” with plans to “bridge innovation with imaginative storytelling,” according to Lowpass.

Netflix Addresses the Move

Obviously, this is a significant move for the streaming giant, and Netflix addressed the move with a statement.

Netflix described the move as an artist-led animation incubator launching in consultation with Netflix content creators to develop new, extended stories based on the studio’s own IP.

“The initiative will provide creators with an artist-focused environment to experiment in, where they can explore how new tools and workflows, alongside traditional animation creative practices, can be leveraged to enhance their storytelling capabilities,” Netflix wrote in a statement via Animation Magazine.

“Netflix Animation Studios’ films will continue to be made using traditional animation techniques and practices,” the statement continued.

Obviously, Netflix is in the beginning stages of building out the new internal studio, but this is certainly a development.