Amazon Invests in Fable's AI Platform, "Netflix of AI," but Who Is It For?

Amazon invests in Fable's AI platform, "Showrunner," which allows users to create animated shows using keywords. However, the platform raises concerns about copyright issues and the intended audience. Fable's CEO tested the software with unlicensed content from South Park, and the company's website promises "no agents" and "no studio gatekeepers." The question of who the platform is for remains unclear.

Amazon has invested in Fable's AI platform, Showrunner, which allows users to create animated shows using keywords. This investment signals growing interest in AI-native storytelling platforms that blend traditional media structure with interactive, generative features [1].

Showrunner, described as "the Netflix of AI," enables users to generate entire television shows, create episodes of existing ones, and even insert themselves and their friends into scenes. The platform is built on Fable's proprietary SHOW-2 model, which follows last year's SHOW-1, used to create viral AI episodes based on "South Park" [2].

Fable's CEO, Edward Saatchi, believes the platform's future will involve a blend of canonical, pre-authored content and user-generated expansions. "We’re making a canonical Season 1 of Exit Valley and a canonical film for Everything is Fine that users can then remix," Saatchi said. "All bottom-up can lead to weak stories" [2].

While the platform is free to use initially, creators will eventually pay for credits allowing them to generate hundreds of TV scenes, with a subscription model similar to Runway. Showrunner aims to introduce a revenue-sharing model, where creators earn revenue shares when others build on their IP [2].

However, Showrunner raises concerns about copyright issues. Fable's AI model includes "guardrails" to block offensive or illegal behavior, including protections against copyright infringement. The company tested the software with unlicensed content from "South Park," which drew over 80 million views. Saatchi said he was in touch with the "South Park" team to reassure them that the IP wasn't being deployed commercially [1].

The question of who the platform is for remains unclear. Showrunner's target audience is not explicitly defined, and the company's website promises "no agents" and "no studio gatekeepers," suggesting a focus on independent creators. However, the platform's suitability for professional content creators and its potential impact on traditional entertainment industry structures are still uncertain [1].

References:
[1] https://variety.com/2025/digital/news/netflix-of-ai-amazon-invests-fable-showrunner-launch-1236471989/
[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/charliefink/2025/07/30/amazon-backs-showrunners-ai-streaming-platform-as-it-launches-satirical-series-exit-valley/