Google Cloud Next 2025: AI Meets Cinema at The Sphere

At Google Cloud Next 2025, AI took centre stage in a dazzling showcase that blended cinema, storytelling, and immersive tech. Held at the iconic Sphere in Las Vegas, the event featured an unforgettable collaboration between Google DeepMind, Warner Bros., and Sphere Entertainment Co. 

The star of the show? A reimagined Wizard of Oz experience, powered entirely by Google Cloud AI tools. This immersive journey was more than just visual spectacle. It showed how AI in cinema is evolving from behind-the-scenes support to centre-stage creativity.

This represents a cultural shift in how stories are built and experienced. 

Stepping into Oz, reimagined by AI 

Visitors to The Sphere were invited to step into a new world. The Wizard of Oz AI experience transformed the venue into a vibrant, living story. Scenes played out in 360-degree visuals. Voices and dialogue adapted to audience reactions. AI powered every moment. 

Using Google Cloud AI tools for filmmakers, DeepMind created responsive characters and evolving storylines. Tin Man from Wizard of Oz expressed nuanced emotion. Dorothy’s journey adjusted based on audience input. Even Toto, the loyal dog, responded with lifelike movements and sound. 

Characters felt emotionally authentic. Movements were believable. The experience blurred the line between film and reality. Attendees reported feeling part of the story rather than watching it unfold from the sidelines. The showcase highlighted just one application of over 3,000 product advancements introduced by Google Cloud in 2024 alone. With a 20x surge in Vertex AI usage, developers are rapidly embracing AI across industries, especially in entertainment. 

Notably, this reimagining of The Wizard of Oz is considered a creative milestone. As producer Jane Rosenthal noted, “We realised that we really needed to do it with AI.” 

A new era for AI in filmmaking 

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, introduced the showcase with a bold vision. “We’re not just imagining the future of storytelling,” he said. “We’re building it.” 

He highlighted how AI in filmmaking is shifting creative boundaries. With tools that can simulate environments, generate dialogue, and personalise narratives, directors now have more freedom than ever. Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, emphasised scalability. “From indie creators to big studios, our AI models are democratising access to advanced cinematic tools.” 

He also noted that filmmakers are exploring real-time feedback loops. AI can adapt dialogue or visual cues live, during the show, based on how the audience reacts in that moment. Kurian also spotlighted Gemini 2.5—Google’s most advanced AI model family—now available on Vertex AI. Its creative strength powered many aspects of the interactive Wizard of Oz experience, including scene transitions, emotion tracking, and dynamic scripting. 

Behind the curtain: DeepMind’s role 

DeepMind’s contribution was central to the experience. Their advanced models were used to build interactive narrative arcs. These arcs responded in real-time, making each performance unique. The AI did not simply automate—it co-created. Characters like the Tin Man evolved emotionally throughout the show. Their voice inflections, expressions, and even decision-making adapted to audience emotion and reaction. This dynamic approach allowed Warner Bros. to experiment with interactive storytelling without scripting every moment. That’s a major leap for AI in cinema. It reduces the technical limitations usually tied to real-time engagement and opens doors to generative, interactive filmmaking. 

Google also showcased their video generation model, Veo, and image model, Imagen, to create key visual scenes for the production. These tools contributed to both background and character design, making the experience vivid and responsive. Dr. Steven Hickson from DeepMind added, “We’d find something we can’t do, think it’s impossible, and then a month later realise we actually can.”  The production team also leveraged archival materials—scripts, set plans, scores—to fine-tune the models for historical accuracy.

Every detail, from Dorothy’s freckles to Toto’s scamper, was reengineered for the 160,000-square-foot LED screen. 

The Sphere: A perfect stage 

Sphere Entertainment Co. provided the ideal venue. Its massive wraparound screen and audio immersion helped the Wizard of Oz AI experience come to life. 

Built to support high-definition immersive shows, The Sphere allowed Google Cloud to stretch the limits of its technology. Real-time rendering. Spatial sound design. Emotionally aware AI. It all came together to deliver cinema like never before. The 18K resolution screen enveloped the audience. Voices echoed and shifted across the space. Toto the dog ran across the dome’s floor, his bark following the viewer. It was theatre-meets-tech at its best. 

The Sphere team noted this was their most technically advanced production to date. They plan to continue building on this model for other genres such as sci-fi, documentaries, and animated films. The event also demonstrated how Google Cloud’s expanding global infrastructure—now in 42 regions with over 200 PoPs—enables low-latency, high-bandwidth experiences, critical for synchronised AI-driven media. 

Tools that power the magic 

Google Cloud AI tools for filmmakers were behind every frame. Filmmakers used Vertex AI for character development and real-time dialogue adjustment. MediaPipe enabled facial recognition and audience response analysis. This helped DeepMind tailor the show’s emotion. PaLM 2 and Gemini models provided language processing. That powered the evolving conversations between characters. 

These tools are not future concepts. They’re live, scalable, and already being tested by creative studios. Google also confirmed these tools are being rolled out to education and training sectors, not just Hollywood. This democratisation of tech enables new voices in storytelling, from student creators to indie developers. 

Generative media tools like Imagen 3 and Veo 2 have helped brands like Kraft Heinz reduce campaign timelines from eight weeks to eight hours. For filmmakers, these gains are equally revolutionary. Buzz Hays, global lead for entertainment at Google Cloud, explained, “We’re bringing the original characters and environments to life on a whole new canvas—while respecting the original in every way.” 

The future of AI in cinema 

The Wizard of Oz AI project shows how storytelling can change with the help of cloud and AI. Instead of linear scripts, we get adaptive experiences. Instead of static roles, we see evolving characters. 

This isn’t about replacing filmmakers. It’s about giving them new tools. A director can now edit a storyline by training a model. An animator can make a character speak 20 languages with minimal effort. The Tin Man Wizard of Oz persona is just the beginning. Future characters may learn, adapt, and grow through audience interaction.

Toto Wizard of Oz could evolve into a responsive companion, changing behaviour with every show. We are witnessing a new chapter in visual storytelling. AI in cinema is not a trend—it’s the new canvas. 

Beyond the yellow brick road 

The magic of Wizard of Oz has always been timeless. But with the power of Google Cloud Next 2025, it steps into a new age. An age where AI in cinema doesn’t just assist—it leads. 

Sphere Entertainment Co. plans to expand these partnerships. They hinted at future experiences blending classic cinema with next-gen tech. Disney, Netflix, and even independent creators are exploring similar paths. Film schools and tech incubators are now building curriculum around these innovations. AI-enhanced cinema may become the norm for the next generation of creatives.  

Creative agents powered by Gemini and hosted on Vertex AI are helping writers and directors brainstorm faster, generate visuals, and even simulate voiceovers, with near-human tone and emotion. Jim Dolan, CEO of Sphere Entertainment, summed it up: “What you’re going to see in ‘The Wizard of Oz at Sphere’ is clearly a leap of faith.” 

Distilled 

As the curtains closed on the event, one thing was clear: Google Cloud Next 2025 wasn’t just a tech conference. It was a turning point. Filmmakers, artists, and technologists now have a shared canvas. One powered by AI, grounded in cloud scalability, and bursting with creative possibility. 

The Wizard of Oz AI showcase was both homage and invitation. An homage to timeless stories. And an invitation to reimagine what’s possible with technology. The yellow brick road now leads into the cloud, and cinema may never be the same again.