AI Series The Arc Cost $38,000 in Credits for Five Episodes
Artlist's first original AI series used roughly $7,600 in AI credits per episode, according to Business Insider.
The production cost of the AI-made sci-fi action series The Arc has been revealed: the 5-episode show used about $38,000 worth of AI credits, averaging about $7,600 per episode, according to Business Insider. The series has a total runtime of roughly 83 minutes.
The Arc was made using generative AI with no actors, sets or props, and is Artlist's first original AI series. Darin Stewart directed, with Simone Ferretti as executive producer.
The production relied on generative AI tools from Google, OpenAI, Midjourney and Kling for image and video generation. Stewart said it took an average of 8 to 10 generations to produce a single desired scene, and the team finished the final cut of the first episode in about three and a half weeks.
Story and settings
The series follows death-row inmate Isaac Ward as he enters a virtual simulation that recreates historical battlefields to save his dying son. It depicts different eras and locations, including 1600s Japan and 1870s Montana.
The Arc was released in August 2026 and had a premiere in London covering all five episodes; it is being released through the Artlist TV YouTube channel.
Quick answers
How much did The Arc cost to make?
About $38,000 worth of AI credits for the 5-episode series, averaging about $7,600 per episode, according to Business Insider.
What is The Arc about?
It follows death-row inmate Isaac Ward entering a virtual simulation that recreates historical battlefields to save his dying son.
Who directed The Arc?
Darin Stewart directed, with Simone Ferretti as executive producer.