Movies, TV shows, and video games have always amazed us with their creativity and storytelling. But did you know that some of the most innovative ideas behind what we watch and play come from artificial intelligence (AI)? AI has become a powerful tool companies use to create breathtaking visuals, develop smarter characters, and even tailor experiences to individual viewers. It’s not about replacing humans but helping creators work faster and dream bigger.

Generative AI is a fancy term for tools that can create new things, like images, scenes, or storylines, after analyzing patterns in existing data. Some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry use these tools to bring ideas to life. From Disney and Marvel’s visual wizardry to Ubisoft’s game designs, here’s a look at how AI transforms movies, TV shows, and video games.

Disney Sets the Stage with Virtual Production

Disney has been leading the pack in AI-powered filmmaking. For The Mandalorian, the live-action Star Wars TV series, Disney introduced a groundbreaking technology called “Stagecraft,” or “The Volume.” It’s a giant, curved wall of LED screens that displays realistic 3D backgrounds powered by a video game engine called Unreal Engine.

Here’s how it works: Instead of filming actors in front of plain green screens and adding effects later, Stagecraft displays detailed, moving backgrounds behind the actors while they perform. These scenes react to camera movements in real-time, making the environment look natural and immersive.

If a scene is set on an alien planet, the actors can see the planet around them while filming. The lighting, reflections, and perspectives are all so realistic that it’s hard for viewers to tell that it’s not a real place. This technology saves time and money and lets filmmakers create stunning visuals without traveling to remote locations.

Marvel Studios and De-Aging Magic

Remember seeing Samuel L. Jackson as a younger Nick Fury in Captain Marvel? Or the youthful Robert Downey Jr. in Avengers: Endgame? Those effects were created using AI. Marvel Studios uses AI-powered tools to digitally “de-age” actors, making them look like younger versions of themselves.

The process starts by analyzing old footage and photos of the actors. The AI studies their facial features, how they move, and even how their skin reacts to light. Using this data creates a digital version of their younger selves. The final magic happens when this digital version is blended with the actor’s performance frame by frame.

The result is so realistic that most viewers don’t even realize they’re looking at AI-made effects. It allows Marvel to tell stories that jump back and forth in time while keeping actors in their iconic roles.

Netflix’s AI-Powered Viewer Experiences

While Netflix isn’t using AI to write scripts or create sets, it’s using AI in other ways to improve what we watch. Netflix’s AI analyzes viewer habits to recommend shows and movies tailored to individual tastes, and ever wondered why Netflix seems to know exactly what you’d like to watch next? That’s AI working behind the scenes.

Netflix also uses AI to create personalized thumbnails for shows and movies. If you’re a fan of romantic movies, you might see a thumbnail for Stranger Things featuring a heartfelt moment between two characters. Someone else who loves sci-fi might see a different thumbnail showing the Upside Down.

These AI-driven tools might not be as flashy as creating alien worlds or de-aging superheroes, but they’re an essential part of Netflix’s strategy to make content feel personal and keep viewers coming back.

Ubisoft Builds Realistic Game Worlds

Gaming fans know Ubisoft for its Assassin’s Creed series, which takes players back to accurate historical recreations of cities like Ancient Rome or Paris during the French Revolution. Building these detailed environments takes time, but AI has made it faster and cooler.

Ubisoft trains its AI tools on historical maps, architectural styles, and other data from the time period it wants to recreate. The AI then generates realistic city layouts with roads, buildings, and landmarks.

The team used AI to automate the process instead of spending months hand-designing every street in Ancient Egypt for Assassin’s Creed Origins. This freed their artists to focus on the more minor artistic details that make the game’s world feel alive. The result? Players can explore beautifully detailed historical cities that feel as immersive as stepping into a time machine.

Rockstar Games Redefines Game Characters

If you’ve played Grand Theft Auto V, you’ve probably noticed how alive the game world feels. The streets are bustling with NPCs (non-playable characters) doing all kinds of things, like chatting, eating, or driving. This realism is brought to life thanks to AI.

Rockstar Games uses AI to make its characters better and more interactive. Unlike older games where NPCs follow rigid, repetitive patterns, the AI in Rockstar’s worlds allows characters to react uniquely to what’s happening around them.

In Grand Theft Auto V, AI powers NPC conversations and behaviors. Walk past a group of characters in one part of the city, and they might talk about local happenings. Drive too fast, and pedestrians will yell at you or jump out of the way. These little details make the game feel dynamic, immersive, and more fun to explore.

Why AI Matters in Entertainment

Generative AI makes the impossible possible. It automates repetitive tasks, saves time, and reduces costs for creators, all while giving them more freedom to focus on creativity. For companies like Disney, Marvel, Netflix, Ubisoft, and Rockstar, it’s a tool that helps them bring their boldest ideas to life.

Beyond the practical benefits, AI also opens up entirely new kinds of storytelling. Imagine games where every character has a different backstory created by AI or a movie set entirely in a world generated by AI. The technology is only growing, and its potential is limitless.