The Effect of AI on Animation Production Efficiency: An Empirical Investigation Through the Network Data Envelopment Analysis

Abstract

This study explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the efficiency of 3D animation production through Network Data Envelopment Analysis (NDEA). While AI’s adoption in content creation is on the rise, its actual effect on different production stages remains unclear. This research examines ten animation projects from commercial, educational, and entertainment sectors, focusing on four key stages: pre-production, asset creation, animation production, and post-production. The findings indicate that AI’s influence varies significantly across these stages, with post-production demonstrating consistently high efficiency (mean: 0.91275). AI integration proved most effective in standardized processes rather than in creative tasks, with commercial projects achieving the highest efficiency scores. This study highlights that successful AI adoption relies on strategic integration and organizational capability rather than on mere technological implementation. Optimal efficiency gains were observed with AI usage between 30 and 70%. These insights suggest that organizations should focus on phased AI implementation, starting with standardized processes to maximize efficiency. This research contributes to both the theoretical understanding and practical application of AI in creative production, offering empirical guidance for optimizing AI integration in animation workflows.