THE ROLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN FILM: ENHANCING CREATIVITY OR REPLACING ARTISTRY?
- Kean Huy Alado
- 17 hours ago
- 4 min read
By Brendalis Puig
Artificial intelligence is rapidly taking over industries across the globe, and filmmaking is no exception. From enhancing post-production elements to stunning visual effects, AI is expanding the limits of creativity and innovation in film in ways never imagined. Filmmakers actively embracing this technology have been sparking polarized opinions regarding its use in films. But how could this new evolving technology impact the film industry?
The people in favor of using AI believe its use can enhance creativity, speed up productions, and even open new possibilities in storytelling. The opposition in contrast warns that relying on AI could negatively impact the art of filmmaking by reducing jobs and losing the human touch that makes cinema unique.
The film industry is always at the forefront regarding technological advancements. AI already impacts the production and consumption of movies, redefining the traditional filmmaking process. The role of AI in film production goes from writing, analyzing scripts, and creating visual effects that allow creators to generate stunning effects without the need for expensive equipment and even assisting with marketing and distribution.
When asked about the use of AI in film, Daryl Nevelus, a computer science senior, said, "AI is threatening to replace industries, and that's scary because it doesn't have feelings. I think AI has its place, but I'm against AI in creative spaces because some things need to stay the way they are."
The use of AI in filmmaking caused a heated controversy during the 2025 awards season when editor Dávid Jancsó of the acclaimed film The Brutalist confessed to Red Shark News that the film used Respeecher to enhance actors Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones' Hungarian accents to make them sound more authentic.
Respeecher is a Ukrainian software company that uses AI voice synthesis technology to create high-quality voice replicas. While The Brutalist also uses AI for architectural models in the movie's final scenes, people were most upset by Respeecher being used to assist the actors' performances, particularly Adrien Brody, who is of Hungarian descent.
Adrien Brody’s performance in The Brutalist earned him several prestigious awards during the 2025 awards season, such as his second Oscar for Best Actor since The Pianist in 2003. Though highly acclaimed by the public during its release, the disclosure of the use of AI impacted how some people felt about the film; while some were unbothered by using it to assist the actor’s talents, others believed it took away from the performative and training aspects of acting. People instead argued that the Best Actor award should have been given to Timothée Chalamet, who trained for five years to sing and play like Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown.
Regarding the use of AI in Adrien Brody’s speech, television and digital media senior Alexia Vorbe stated, “AI wasn’t used to create his performance for him or completely change his speech. It was there to tweak a few things that the director found necessary. I think they just used AI as a tool, and if businesses can use AI to do their accounting, filmmakers can use it, too.”
The controversy surrounding The Brutalist raised ethical questions regarding the use of AI tools in filmmaking and the need for more transparency when using these tools, but it was not the only Oscar-nominated film that used AI technology. A Complete Unknown and Dune: Part Two used AI for visual effects, while Emilia Perez applied it to Karla Sofía Gascón’s vocal performance. The heated debate has led the Motion Picture Academy to reconsider its submission requirements, demanding films disclose AI usage.
At the moment, the Academy provides an optional disclosure on AI use. However, Variety magazine reports that there is an ongoing investigation into how these advancing technologies are used in different branches, and the decision on whether the disclosure of AI will be mandatory in the 2026 Oscars is expected in April.
“There’s just going to have to be more ethical ways to use it where AI is not taking jobs away from human beings. We need to draw the line of what is considered AI in film because things like visual effects help enhance a vision the director already had. Still, we need to be careful that it doesn’t take over the craft of filmmaking, as too much reliance on AI could turn a movie into a cash grab rather than a true artistic creation,” continued Vorbe about the use of AI in filmmaking.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve and find its way into filmmaking, the biggest challenge will be maintaining transparency and preserving human artistry. With an ever-growing number of AI tools shaping the industry, it is becoming increasingly challenging to distinguish the extent of its influence, raising concerns about its ethical implications and long-term impact on cinema. As tensions continue to rise, it is essential to find a middle ground between preserving artistic integrity and embracing the possibilities AI has to offer while also being transparent about its usage.
Comments