Amazon is betting on AI to make TV shows faster and cheaper, but insists humans are still in charge

Amazon MGM Studios has launched a new initiative to fund and produce AI-assisted TV shows and movies. The studio announced the GenAI Creators’ Fund, which provides grants and access to AI production tools to filmmakers, digital creators, and tech startups. Todd Spangler reports for Variety that three animated series have already been greenlit for Prime Video under the program:

• “Punky Duck,” created by Jorge R. Gutierrez, director of “The Book of Life”
• “Love, Diana Music Hunters,” created by Albie Hecht at pocket.watch
• “Cupcake & Friends,” created by BuzzFeed Studios

All three series will premiere on Prime Video. No release dates have been announced. A fourth project, a live-action short, is also in development, though the creator has not been named.

Amazon and its sister company Amazon Web Services (AWS) have built a dedicated AI production platform for the initiative, called Project Nara. The platform is described as a collaborative workspace that connects AI production tools with software creators already use, such as Maya, Blender, and Adobe products. It uses a model-agnostic architecture, meaning it draws on both third-party and proprietary AI models. The platform also includes provenance tracking to protect intellectual property.

Albert Cheng, Amazon MGM Studios’ chief operating officer, emphasized that the initiative is designed to support, not replace, human creatives. “AI tools are meant to empower human creativity, and allow TV shows and movies that would not have been possible before,” he told Variety. All projects involve human actors and voice actors.

Cheng said Project Nara aims to reduce production costs and speed up timelines. The three initial partners were given just five weeks to complete their pilots. According to Cheng, one key advantage is that directors can preview specific scenes before principal photography begins, allowing for earlier creative decisions.

AWS executive Samira Panah Bakhtiar described Amazon as uniquely positioned in the industry, citing its combined role as a studio, technology company, and distributor.