Showrunner is a new streaming platform filled with AI-generated content

“Just think it, then watch it.”

That’s one of the taglines that can currently be found on the homepage of Showrunner, a new streaming service powered by generative AI. Showunner’s model allows viewers to pitch their own episode ideas within a slate of AI-created shows.

Showrunner is the brainchild of San Francisco-based startup Fable Studio. The goal of the platform, according to Fable CEO Edward Saatchi, is to add the “Netflix of AI” to the streaming world. “Maybe you finish all of the episodes of a show you’re watching and you click the button to make another episode,” Saatchi told The Hollywood Reporter. “You can say what it should be about or you can let the AI make it itself.”

With Showrunner, Fable is looking to continue the creative work that has already won it an Emmy Award. Its previous projects have included a VR adaptation of a Neil Gaiman story, but it has since shifted its focus to AI.

The initial 10-show slate on Showrunner includes a majority of animated projects, including a South Park-inspired tech industry parody called Exit Valley. Like the rest of the Showrunner library, Exit Valley showcases both the advantages and the flaws of AI-generated content. Dynamic prompts will allow viewers to create custom versions of their favorite shows, but some early users have criticized the overall quality of Showrunner’s offerings.

“Spoilers: It’s not that great and is frankly weird to watch,” reads Gizmodo’s take on Exit Valley. “The animation is barely animated, the voices are human yet robotic, and it’s hard to even get what the jokes are. Then again, this is all done by AI so none of that should be a surprise.”

Showrunner’s overall quality could improve as it approaches its official launch. For now, access to the alpha version of the platform is limited. Interested individuals can apply to join a 50,000-person waitlist on the Showrunner website.

Saatchi told THR that Showrunner will likely remain in testing mode until the end of the year. When the official launch date arrives, some episodes created from viewer prompts will be included on the platform. The creators of those eps will receive lump-sum payments and potential revenue sharing if their work is picked up by a streaming service.

As Fable promotes a crowdsourced version of AI-generated content, other tech companies are looking to incorporate AI into Hollywood productions. OpenAI, Meta, and Alphabet have all held conversations with film industry decision-makers, and the consensus is that video generation models like OpenAI’s Sora could bring newfound efficiency to the studio system. That hybrid model has a lot of potential, but Fable is hoping our AI-driven future includes demand for its user-generated shows as well.