The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is transitioning the movie business into a technology-driven industry, leading many filmmakers, educators and fans to question whether the “human touch” and creativity of moviemaking are being lost.
With the rise of AI in the new millennium, writing, filming and plagiarism have become streamlined because one can ask AI to do the work, sometimes as a quick fix.
Studios have begun integrating AI into scriptwriting, trailer creation, and early visual development, making it hard for viewers to notice. The rise of AI follows decades of technological change in the industry, including the shift from hand-drawn animation to computer-generated imagery (CGI) in the 1990s and early 2000s.
But unlike CGI, which expanded artistic possibilities, AI tools are designed to generate ideas, dialogue and imagery based on patterns, raising concerns that AI might replace the creative labor itself. Film organizations, including writers’ and actors’ unions, have recently pushed back against studios using AI in ways that undermine originality or threaten artistic jobs.
Most recently, the musical film “Emilia Pérez” used AI voice cloning to enhance the singing voice of lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón. The AI blended Gascón’s voice with that of French pop star Camille to extend the actress’s vocal range and refine her performance.
The use of AI has led to controversy and criticism among creators who fear that growing reliance on algorithms may overshadow the human imagination that has driven filmmaking for more than a century.
Longtime movie lovers are discovering AI’s influence in unexpected places. Math teacher Jim Donnelly said he has seen the newest “Superman” film “many times.” However, he said he “didn’t know” that AI helped create parts of the film’s promotional trailers. This demonstrates how the technology is already shaping films long before viewers walk into theaters.
“Scripts are very obviously noticeable when AI writes them,” said Carlmont junior and student filmmaker Leo Jensen. “They’re cliché and vague in creativity.”
Educators say AI may distance young audiences from authentic storytelling. Veteran animators argue that while AI is efficient, it lacks the originality required for strong filmmaking. Student filmmakers warn that modern movies already feel less unique. Meanwhile, many industry workers fear job loss as studios experiment with cheaper automated tools.
“It feels less unique, and the scripts have gotten worse,” Jensen said.
Concerns extend beyond writing and into the realm of visual authenticity.
“CGI fills in backgrounds and makes unrealistic places possible,” Jensen said. “AI creates fake things that don’t feel truly authentic.”
Industry veterans have noticed the same pattern from behind the scenes.
“AI is a cheap tool that can come up with ideas for you in a sense,” said animator Alex Williams, who has worked in the film industry for 40 years.
Williams added that AI differs sharply from CGI, a technology often confused with it.
“CGI is way more expensive than AI, but AI isn’t something that you’re creating,” Williams said. “It’s built up over what others have told it, so it will come up with something generic because it can’t create things on its own. Even after being generated, we scratch 60% of its work because most of it is rubbish.”
Many professionals wonder whether widespread adoption of AI could cost people their livelihoods.
“Yes, people are in fear for their jobs,” Williams said. “This is a much bigger wave of change than when hand-drawn animation changed into CGI.”
Williams added that human creativity remains an important factor.
“The sense of creativity isn’t lost because of AI, because AI isn’t creative. It’s more like a tool,” Williams said.
Technological shifts have repeatedly transformed Hollywood, from the advent of sound to color film, CGI and digital editing systems. Yet those innovations generally expanded creative options. Critics argue that AI is different because it can imitate human writing and design, potentially replacing artistic labor rather than enhancing it.
Filmmakers and unions are now debating how AI should be regulated, used and limited. Many expect Hollywood contracts, guidelines and ethical standards to evolve as the technology of the new world advances. Others can predict a more hybrid future in which AI assists with technical tasks but human artists remain central to storytelling.
In an industry built on imagination, many creators are determined to ensure that the movies of tomorrow still feel human.