The Studio Behind 'Ex Machina' Is Now Researching AI With Google

In brief Google is investing about $75 million in A24 through a new AI research partnership. The companies plan to develop tools for film production and distribution rather than AI-generated movies. The deal comes as Hollywood continues debating the role of generative AI in filmmaking. Google is investing approximately $75 million in independent film studio A24 as part of a new artificial intelligence research joint initiative, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.According to the Wall Street Journal, Google's DeepMind division and A24 will collaborate on tools for film production and distribution, marking the first time Google has taken a stake in a movie studio.While the agreement reportedly does not give Google access to A24's film and television library, the deal brings together one of the world's largest AI developers with the studio known for films including “Ex Machina,” Alex Garland's 2014 thriller about the dangers of artificial intelligence, as well as the recent breakout hit “Backrooms.”A24 partner Scott Belsky attempted to ease concerns that Google's deal with the studio would lead to the kind of generative AI tools that many filmmakers have criticized, telling the Journal that the companies are focused on tools that preserve creative control and support filmmakers.“We think there are better uses that preserve creative control and support risk-taking," Belsky told the Wall Street Journal, adding, "won't look anything like the prompted generation type of AI that people feel uncomfortable with."The news comes as Google has expanded its outreach to filmmakers. In January 2026, the company committed $2 million to AI training programs for artists through the Sundance Institute and other filmmaking organizations. In April, Google unveiled Maps Imagery Grounding, a new AI-powered tool that lets filmmakers and creative agencies generate images and animated scenes based on real-world locations using Google Street View data.As part of the deal, A24 and Google plan to develop tools for film production and distribution. A24's existing technology and innovation division, A24 Labs, is already developing an AI-assisted storyboarding tool designed to help filmmakers identify potential production issues before filming begins.“We believe breakthroughs happen when you get technology into the hands of the best minds in the field,” Eli Collins, a vice president of product for DeepMind, said.The deal comes as Hollywood continues to debate AI's role in filmmaking following months-long strikes by SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America in 2023. In December 2025, industry figures, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Natasha Lyonne, launched the Creators Coalition on AI to push for standards governing AI training and use.Earlier this month, “Backrooms” director Kane Parsons criticized generative AI, calling it a source of "genuinely harmful consequences" and part of a broader "cultural and economic rot.""If I could snap my fingers and make generative AI disappear forever, I probably would," Parsons told The Australian.Daily Debrief NewsletterStart every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.