RESEARCH NOTE · 02

What AI could mean for film and TV production

A research overview prepared for StoryShift readers.

Publisher: McKinsey & Company  ·  Publication date: January 2026
Why this source matters
This research helps frame industry developments and the commercial context for AI-assisted storytelling.

Overview

AI may support multiple stages of film and television work, including development, pre-production, production and post-production. Potential uses include ideation, script support, visualisation and workflow assistance. Smaller teams may be able to prototype ambitious concepts, while quality control, authorship, rights and governance remain important. The practical lesson is to build an end-to-end workflow and use human judgement where it matters. This strategic analysis is not a promise that every project becomes cheaper or faster.

What creators can take from it

Use this information as context, not as a business forecast. Test a specific genre, audience and production workflow with a small pilot. Track the time, cost, rights and audience response before scaling.

Limitations

This page is an editorial summary, not a reproduction of the original publication. Definitions, time periods and methodologies may differ. Market growth does not guarantee individual creator income.

Editorial note

StoryShift references this publication for general research context and does not claim affiliation with or endorsement by the publisher.