Netflix Deal Designed to Unlock Warner Bros. Assets as an 'AI Trove,' Report States, So Get Ready For Endless Memes of Harry Potter Meeting the KPop Demon Hunters

Netflix's $82.7 cardinal woody to bargain Warner Bros. volition spot the streaming work summation entree to a immense vault of contented — which, according to a caller report, could beryllium utilized arsenic a imaginable "AI trove."

Speaking contiguous connected an capitalist telephone attended by IGN, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos repeatedly mentioned aboriginal "innovation" arsenic 1 of the reasons wherefore the streamer was truthful keen to ain Warner Bros.' 102-year-old backmost catalogue, which includes movies successful the Harry Potter and DC Comics franchises, arsenic good arsenic TV bid specified arsenic Game of Thrones, Friends and The Big Bang Theory.

Now, insider sources person told The Hollywood Reporter that the subtext down Sarandos' mentions of innovation was the immense boost to Netflix's AI plans that Warner Bros.' room of contented could bring — some to bid aboriginal AI models and to let subscribers entree to make their ain creations utilizing licensed assets.

Viewed done this lens, the Netflix and Warner Bros. woody makes adjacent much sense. For its part, Netflix has already built a finely-tuned contented algorithm based connected machine-learning and granular cognition of its millions of subscribers. Warner Bros., meanwhile, has a tremendous backmost catalogue of contented that tin beryllium plugged successful to Netflix's existing work — and utilized to make much contented successful future.

Netflix has agelong been accused of producing caller TV bid and movies designed by algorithm, utilizing past viewing information to greenlight projects it tin safely expect volition beryllium enjoyed by swathes of its subscriber base. Even connected a basal level, having entree to Warner Bros.' catalogue volition undoubtedly assistance Netflix's algorithm larn adjacent much astir its users' viewing habits, with specified a ample room present portion of its ain service.

But beyond that, contented companies are intelligibly keen to experimentation further with AI procreation and connection licensed entree to their ain franchises arsenic a premium feature. Last month, Disney brag Bob Iger stated that helium expected to spot user-generated AI contented appearing connected Disney+ successful the adjacent future, arsenic portion of what helium described arsenic 1 of "the biggest and the astir important changes — from a merchandise perspective, from a exertion position — since we launched the work successful 2019."

The proposition is that Disney volition fto its paying customers make videos utilizing its licensed characters and stock them with others via the level — arsenic a much authoritative mentation of what happened erstwhile AI procreation level Sora 2 launched a fewer months agone and concisely allowed users to make mash-ups featuring Mickey Mouse, Pokémon, and Star Wars, earlier copyright rules were enforced.

Considering the immense backmost catalogue astatine Disney's fingertips, it's possibly nary astonishment to spot Netflix keen to get a likewise historical room for itself, arsenic the streaming wars vigor up further.

"Our ngo has ever been to entertain the world," Netflix's Sarandos said earlier today. "By combining Warner Bros.’ unthinkable room of shows and movies — from timeless classics similar Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favorites similar Harry Potter and Friends — with our culture-defining titles similar Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we'll beryllium capable to bash that adjacent better. Together, we tin springiness audiences much of what they emotion and assistance specify the adjacent period of storytelling.”

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social