Soyuzmultfilm Uses AI to Create Tainy Charovod'ya
Russian animators are embracing new tools. Characters and settings for the screen adaptation of writer Yulia Ivanova’s books, Tainy Charovod'ya (The Secret of Charovody), were created with the help of AI. Using a neural network significantly reduced production time.
Work that could have taken at least three years was completed by Soyuzmultfilm professionals in just four months. Yuliana Slashcheva, chair of the studio’s board of directors, said the artists first designed the characters and scenes by hand, then used neural networks to visualize them. The project is a successful example of how AI tools have become part of the workflow at Russia’s largest animation studio.
“We would have spent at least three years creating the complex content we’re showing now. It took us about four months to create a character for the video. And now these are essentially film frames that can be developed further,” Yuliana Slashcheva said at a press conference devoted to the Neurofest 2026 festival and the AI Creative Awards.
AI Is Creating New Professions
Russian studios are moving confidently toward hybrid content production. Modern technologies make it possible to produce content faster without sacrificing quality. As these tools develop, demand is growing for professionals who can combine artistic skills with knowledge of software tools. New roles are emerging, including AI creative producer, AI artist, and AI algorithm specialist.
Experts note that AI and other technological solutions can boost productivity across Russia’s animation industry, speed up the release of homegrown animated works, and help professionals develop new digital production skills. By making full use of modern tools and software, Russian studios can compete successfully in the global animation market.
Beyond shorter production schedules and lower budgets, AI offers another important benefit: it lowers the barrier to entry for small studios. With access to high-quality tools, smaller teams can create more visually complex projects without having to expand their staff proportionally.
From Restoration to Generation
Over the past five years, the use of neural networks in animation has evolved from experiments with individual images to the integration of AI into production workflows.
In 2024, Soyuzmultfilm used neural networks to restore classic cartoons, upscale footage to 4K, animate still images, and develop character designs. The animated series Prostokvashino introduced a character created using Kandinsky, a Russian AI model. Artists then refined the generated design to match the series’ visual style.
Around the same time, US company Kartoon Studios unveiled GADGET A.I., its own system built on NVIDIA Omniverse technologies to integrate AI into the creation, production, and post-production of animated films. The system can be used to create and animate characters, write scripts, and produce dubbed dialogue.
How AI Is Raising the Bar
In Russia’s film industry, AI is seen as an effective supporting tool that can reduce the time and money required to produce projects. Soyuzmultfilm’s experience shows how neural networks can be applied to specific tasks. However, the studio’s leadership continues to prioritize human creativity and the animator’s central role as the creative force behind a project. At the same time, the demands placed on these creative professionals are changing. Studios increasingly need artists who can work with generative tools, technical specialists, and producers who can coordinate hybrid production workflows.
Experts believe AI has become indispensable in the creative industries, just as it has in manufacturing and business. The key measure of success is the quality of the finished product. If AI can help studios produce worthwhile cartoons faster without compromising their artistic value, its use should become widespread across the industry.
