Fuji TV to Use Generative AI in All Live-Action Dramas From Next Year

Fuji Television's plan to use generative AI, including tools like Google's Nano Banana, across all live-action dramas from October next year represents a notable shift in production methodology. The broadcaster has already established a dedicated team and is receiving technical training, indicating a structured approach to this integration. This suggests a move beyond experimental use to a standardized application of AI in content creation.

The immediate impact of AI is evident in tasks like creating blood-spurting scenes or aerial explosion shots. These visual elements, previously requiring direct filming or extensive visual effects (VFX), are now being generated by AI, reportedly cutting production time by 70% to 80% compared with VFX work. This efficiency gain directly supports Fuji Television's expectation of reduced production costs, a critical factor as Japanese terrestrial broadcasters face declining advertising revenue.

Fuji Television's adoption follows similar, albeit perhaps less comprehensive, moves by other broadcasters like TBS and Nippon Television, and precedes Netflix's disclosed use of AI in over 300 titles for editing and processing. While the source notes Fuji Television's policy against training AI on actors' faces, the precise functional details of "Google's Nano Banana" are not elaborated, requiring an inference of its capabilities from the described applications of generative AI in visual production.