Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV is expanding its use of generative AI in television drama production, with plans to establish a system that allows AI to be used across all dramas it produces by October 2027. The broadcaster has already launched an AI experimentation facility called AI Sandbox at its Wangan Studio, where production teams are testing ways to incorporate the technology into their workflows.
According to Fuji TV’s November 5 announcement, the company has already used generative AI in several dramas, including Kyumei Byoto 24ji (Emergency Room 24 Hours). In certain production processes, the broadcaster reported a reduction in workload of up to 70–80% compared with conventional methods.
The initiative is intended to help drama production teams explore practical uses for AI while reducing the time and effort required for selected tasks.
Fuji TV Uses AI in Emergency Room 24 Hours
Fuji TV’s AI Sandbox began operations in September 2026. The facility brings together drama production staff, technical teams and AI-related companies to investigate how generative AI can be incorporated into television production.
One of the dramas already using the technology is Kyumei Byoto 24ji. During pre-production, generative AI was used to visualise how certain scenes would look before filming, allowing production staff to share and discuss their intended results.
The technology has also been applied to visual processing for medical scenes and the depiction of accident sites that would be difficult to recreate through filming alone.
In the drama’s first episode, for example, the production team used AI-generated aerial footage of a fictional explosion and combined it with smoke effects to create the scene.
Fuji TV reported that some of these processes reduced the required workload by as much as 70–80%. However, the figure refers to certain production tasks rather than the overall time or cost of making a drama.
Fuji TV Aims to Expand AI Use Across All Dramas by 2027
Fuji TV has outlined a gradual expansion of its generative AI initiative.
Starting with the October 2026 drama season, the broadcaster plans to designate at least one drama per quarter as an AI-enhanced production, giving teams more opportunities to test the technology in different situations.
By October 2027, Fuji TV aims to establish a system that allows generative AI to be used in all dramas produced by the company, depending on the requirements of individual productions and scenes.
The broadcaster is also looking beyond drama production. By fiscal 2029, its parent company, Fuji Media Holdings, aims to develop AI capabilities comparable to those of leading domestic AI vendors.
Fuji TV established an AI Center within its Digital Strategy Headquarters as part of an organisational restructuring in July 2026. The AI Sandbox is part of the company’s wider effort to strengthen its use of the technology.
The announcement marks a significant step in Fuji TV’s approach to incorporating generative AI into television production. Its wider adoption across the broadcaster’s dramas will depend on how production teams apply the technology to individual scenes and workflows.
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Source: Livedoor News
