Google Invests $75M in A24 for AI Filmmaking Tools Partnership

Google takes first studio stake with A24 investment

Google is investing approximately $75 million in independent film studio A24 as part of a new artificial intelligence research partnership, marking the first time Alphabet's Google has taken an equity position in a studio. The deal pairs A24 with Google's DeepMind unit to develop new tools for movie production and distribution under a multiyear, nonexclusive agreement, according to details first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

The investment size is comparable to what Thrive Capital contributed when it led A24's previous funding round in 2024, which valued the studio at $3.5 billion. Under the partnership terms, A24's film and television library will remain off-limits to Google, along with the rest of its content data.

Focus on production tools, not generative content

Scott Belsky, an A24 partner who oversees the studio's technology and innovation work, emphasized that the collaboration would avoid the types of AI applications that have created tension in Hollywood. "We think there are better uses that preserve creative control and support risk-taking," Belsky said. The new tools "won't look anything like the prompted generation type of AI that people feel uncomfortable with."

One early project from A24 Labs, Belsky's 20-person tech team, involves using AI to generate storyboards—the rough visual sketches directors use to plan scenes before filming begins. Eli Collins, a vice president of product for DeepMind, said the partnership reflects a belief that "breakthroughs happen when you get technology into the hands of the best minds in the field."

Why it matters

This partnership represents a strategic middle path in Hollywood's fraught relationship with AI technology. While entertainment companies have pursued legal action against AI developers over intellectual property concerns and creative workers have voiced opposition to the technology, Google and A24 are positioning their collaboration as production-focused rather than content-generative. The approach could offer a template for how tech companies and studios navigate AI development without triggering the creative community's deepest concerns about automation replacing human artistry.

Timing amid industry tensions

The deal arrives during a particularly delicate moment for AI in entertainment. A collaboration between Disney and OpenAI collapsed earlier this year when OpenAI discontinued its Sora video tool in March. Meanwhile, Netflix has taken a different approach, acquiring an AI startup whose technology enables post-filming scene modifications without requiring additional shoots.

A24 has built unusual brand recognition for an independent studio, with NRG survey data showing that more than half of all moviegoers identify as fans. The studio currently has its biggest-budget production in development—a film adaptation of the videogame "Elden Ring" with a price tag around $175 million, directed by Alex Garland.

The A24 investment fits into Alphabet's broader AI expansion strategy. Google has committed up to $40 billion to Anthropic, the AI startup behind the Claude family of models, in a deal that includes a five-gigawatt cloud computing arrangement.

Belsky joined A24 from Adobe last year, and discussions between DeepMind and A24 began before his arrival at the studio.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the details of this partnership.