Amazon Prime Video uses AI for lip-synced translations

NEW YORK – Amazon Prime Video is using artificial intelligence to change actors’ lip movements in alternate-language versions of its shows.As of Sept 9, subscribers have the option to view “Lip sync for English Dub” versions of Seasons 1 and 2 of Maxton Hall, a popular German soap opera.Viewers who choose this option are shown a version of the show in which the original German dialogue has been dubbed into English – and in which the actors’ lips have been digitally altered to approximate the appropriate movements.The company said it planned to expand the feature to other titles.“At Prime Video, we’re constantly innovating with new tools that enhance the viewing experience for our customers,” Raf Soltanovich, vice-president of technology at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said in a statement. “With lip-syncing, we’re creating a more seamless and immersive way for customers to enjoy global content.”YouTube introduced an AI-enabled lip-syncing feature for videos on its service in 2026, but Amazon Prime Video is the first major television streamer to do so.Netflix, the largest traditional streaming service, did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Reuters reported last summer that the company had been testing its own version of the technology.Soltanovich’s statement said that Amazon hoped AI lip-syncing would allow creators to reach a broader audience, and that it would work with them to “ensure the integrity of their artistic vision is preserved”.Amazon has previously experimented with using AI to translate its film and television properties.It began offering versions of some titles with AI-generated audio tracks in 2025. After users complained about the quality of the voices created by AI, the company removed the feature from some titles, although it remains available on others.While AI was used to create the lip-syncing effect in Maxton Hall, Amazon said the dubbed audio was created using human performers. NYTIMESThis article originally appeared in The New York Times.