Amazon plans to use artificial intelligence to speed up the production of movies and television shows, even as Hollywood voices concern that AI could reshape the industry and threaten jobs, Reuters reports.

According to the report, veteran entertainment executive Albert Cheng is leading a team at Amazon MGM Studio tasked with developing new AI tools aimed at cutting costs and streamlining the creative process. The company plans to launch a closed beta program in March, inviting industry partners to test the tools, with results expected by May.

The Reuters report describes the AI Studio as operating like a “startup” under Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s “two pizza team” approach, keeping the group small. The team is composed primarily of engineers and scientists, with a smaller creative and business contingent.

Cheng told Reuters that AI would accelerate production but would not replace human creativity. Writers, directors, actors, and character designers will remain involved at every stage of production, using AI as a tool to enhance their work.

The report notes that the AI Studio is developing tools to improve character consistency, integrate with industry-standard creative software, and bridge “the last mile” between existing consumer AI offerings and the control filmmakers require.

Amazon is relying on its cloud computing arm, Amazon Web Services, and plans to collaborate with multiple large language model providers to give creators more options for pre- and post-production work. Reuters highlights that protecting intellectual property and preventing AI-generated content from being absorbed into other models is central to the initiative.

The AI Studio is reportedly working with producers Robert Stromberg (Maleficent), Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory), and former Pixar and ILM animator Colin Brady. Its hit series House of David is cited as an early example of AI-assisted production.