Google has announced a $75 million investment in A24 under a long-term research agreement aimed at advancing AI-assisted filmmaking workflows. The initiative will focus on developing tools that enhance creative production rather than automate it, while keeping A24’s existing content library outside the scope of the partnership.
A24 and Google DeepMind describe the collaboration as a way to explore new creative possibilities in entertainment. An A24 representative told The Wall Street Journal that the resulting tools will be different from the prompt-driven generative AI systems that have raised concerns among creators. The partnership’s first planned product is an AI-powered storyboard tool for use during pre-production.
According to Eli Collins, vice president of product at Google DeepMind, the partnership is focused on bringing technology closer to the creative workflow. Collins said that innovation often comes from giving talented people access to powerful tools, adding, “We believe breakthroughs happen when you get technology into the hands of the best minds in the field.”
The announcement comes as many Hollywood workers continue to voice concerns about AI’s growing role in creative production. Around 2,000 storyboard artists currently work across the industry, and advances in AI-assisted storyboarding could affect how that work is performed. Similar concerns have surfaced among other unionized professionals, including roughly 400 colorists and about 2,800 lighting technicians and operators, whose jobs have become part of the broader debate over AI-driven production tools.
Known for supporting up-and-coming filmmakers, A24 has built a loyal audience among younger viewers, many of whom remain cautious about AI’s growing influence. Kane Parsons, the director of Backrooms and the filmmaker behind A24’s biggest box-office success, has previously criticized AI, describing it as “genuinely harmful” and a reflection of “cultural and economic rot.”
The focus on AI-assisted tools aligns with a direction that other companies in the entertainment sector have also pursued. Netflix recently acquired a startup co-founded by Ben Affleck that built software for post-production work, including color grading and relighting. In both cases, AI is being presented as a tool that supports existing creative processes rather than replacing human judgment.
The partnership comes after a particularly strong period for A24. Backrooms surpassed $300 million in global box-office revenue, making it the studio’s highest-grossing film so far. Marty Supreme earned nearly $200 million and received several Oscar nominations. During the past two years, A24’s revenue has more than doubled, and the company was recently valued at $3.5 billion.
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