‘We’re expanding the cinematic toolbox’: AI fault lines on show at Cannes
Cannes became a showcase for AI in film, with some praising it as a tool and others warning it threatens human storytelling.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
At Cannes, filmmakers, executives, and tech companies argued over whether AI is a creative aid or a threat to cinema. The article frames the debate as both artistic and industrial, with AI already influencing production methods, studio strategy, and talent politics.
A film festival in Cannes turned into a big argument about AI. Some people said it can help make movies faster and cheaper.
Others said it could push human artists aside and make movies feel less real. It is a bit like adding a powerful new brush to a painter’s kit, but some painters worry the brush might start choosing the picture.
The article says the fight is not over. Cinema is changing, and people are arguing about how much of that change should come from machines.
Analysis
Cannes as an AI battleground
The Guardian says AI dominated Cannes this year, from beachside summits and yacht events to press conferences. Darren Aronofsky, speaking at an “AI for Talent” summit, argued that AI is a tool rather than a person, and said the term itself is too broad because it covers many different technologies.
Proponents see practical uses
Aronofsky’s studio, Primordial Soup, has partnered with Google DeepMind, and the article says one project used AI to avoid putting a real newborn baby on set by digitally turning what an actor held into a live baby. Aronofsky said the work was additive, not replacing anything. Chuck Russell also used a yacht event to unveil AI-driven sci-fi projects, saying the technology is expanding the cinematic toolbox in a way cinema has never had before.
Not everyone is convinced
The piece also highlights strong resistance. Guillermo del Toro has said he would “rather die” than use AI in his films, while other figures such as Reese Witherspoon have invested in AI storytelling tools. Steven Soderbergh defended limited AI use in his documentary project about John Lennon, saying his obligation was honesty about how effects were made. The article says his film used AI for about 10% of its imagery.
Industry stakes
Studio executives in the piece say hybrid AI productions could let several mid-budget films be made for the cost of one blockbuster. At the same time, Cannes has banned films primarily generated by AI from its main competition, showing that the festival is trying to balance experimentation with limits. Demi Moore said AI is here and resisting it is a battle the industry will lose, though she insisted technology cannot replace the human soul and spirit of filmmaking. Peter Jackson echoed the idea that AI is acceptable when used as just another tool, but said imagination and originality still matter most.
Key points
- AI was a major topic at Cannes across panels, parties, and press events.
- Darren Aronofsky and others argued AI is a practical tool for filmmaking.
- Guillermo del Toro and other critics warned that AI threatens human creativity.
- Steven Soderbergh used AI for about 10% of the imagery in his documentary project.
- Cannes has banned films primarily generated by AI from its main competition.
