Use of AI is happening in Hollywood already. Will using these tools upend the campaigns during Awards Season?
The world of filmmaking is no stranger to innovation. From the advent of “talkies” bringing sound into a silent art form in the 1920s to the rise of CGI replacing many practical effects in the 1990s with films like Jurassic Park, technological advancements have continuously reshaped how stories are brought to life on the silver screen. Today, both generative and other forms of artificial intelligence (AI) are at the forefront of filmmaking evolution, sparking debates among creators, critics, and audiences alike. Most people who don’t understand AI have no idea what the fuss is all about. Others envision a future where creative decision-making is algorithmic and the artists involved in this format are marginalized in a world where a tech-heavy studio could pump out niche films so fast that traditional filmmakers will be lost in the glut of AI-composed work.
Thus, the controversy surrounding the inclusion of AI in Oscar-nominated films like The Brutalist and Emilia Perez is just the beginning of this broader, complex conversation, even as it has brought the discussion into sharper focus. I’ll unpack the state of things and share some thoughts as a longtime observer of the Oscar race and as a vigorous proponent for examining how AI affects the future of creativity.

AI in Film Production is Accelerating
The use of AI is growing in the filmmaking process at both the studio and independent levels. From ideation and pitching to scriptwriting and post-production, AI tools are streamlining workflows, enhancing creative possibilities, and reducing production times. Here’s how AI is being used across various stages of film production right now:
1. Scriptwriting and Story Development
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Sudowrite are helping writers brainstorm ideas, develop plots using tried-and-true examples, and refine dialogue to suit their audience and characters. While these tools don’t (and I’d say shouldn’t) replace human creativity, they offer an assistive role, speeding up the initial stages of screenwriting.
For instance, AI can analyze existing scripts to predict audience engagement and suggest improvements, giving writers a data-driven edge. This isn’t too far off from using other tools that have been part of script analysis for decades, or even the human-driven ‘reading of the slush pile’ done by previously unpaid interns.
What is lost when AI is used to aid creative work? To paraphrase singer-songwriter Nick Cave’s recent comments, when we rush through the creative act to get to the creative product, what are we giving up? We lose the value of more deeply understanding what we are trying to accomplish with a story, idea, or concept. While Cave noted that we lose the therapeutic value and joy of being an artistic creator, the product also suffers from a lack of committed consideration in working things out.
While algorithmic creativity may surface some elements of value, AI tools are still not very good at making the more sublime human connections people find when they are working through a creative effort.
2. Pitching, Pre-Production and Visualization
Generative AI tools are revolutionizing pre-production. Storyboarding apps powered by AI can create visual concepts quickly, while tools like MidJourney or Stable Diffusion help conceptualize set designs, costumes, and even character appearances. One need only see the impressive short videos put out by AI-driven creative firms like Shifting Tides to realize how much this empowers individuals to showcase their ideas to a production company or studio.
In the past, producing a promo of presentable quality would require a lot of work, coordination, and a budget that a fledgling screenwriter is unlikely to have available. Whether that is good or bad for the film industry could be disputed, but it definitely feels like it checks the box of ‘democratization of filmmaking opportunities.”
In the case of The Brutalist, AI was reportedly used to design architectural elements that could have been created by human architects. This sparked criticism, with many arguing it bypassed traditional artistry and robbed film artists of work. Will this affect the film’s performance on Oscar night? That remains to be seen. This isn’t a major component of the film, but, at this moment, it’s a black eye for most artists.
3. Performance Enhancement and Voice Modulation
AI is now capable of altering vocal performances, as seen in Emilia Perez and The Brutalist alike. The films used AI to modify actors’ accents, a practice that has drawn a mixed response across the industry. Critics argue that this undermines the authenticity of performances, while supporters see it as an extension of post-production techniques like ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement). The line between efficiency and ethics feels like it’s moving around and may not settle into place for a while.

In the tight race for acting roles, it’s easy to see how this could lead to a backlash that causes a loss for Adrien Brody, in particular. Was Timothée Chalamet’s impressive live performance of three Bob Dylan songs on Saturday Night Live in late January a component of a PR campaign to show that his work was extra ‘genuine’? It feels like a clever strategic choice by the A Complete Unknown actor or the studio handlers working on getting him a boost in public opinion for the award.
4. Post-Production and Special Effects
The most significant impact of AI is perhaps in post-production. AI tools are used to enhance VFX, clean up audio, and color-grade scenes with remarkable precision.
AI-driven de-aging, facial replacements, and even deepfake technologies are giving filmmakers unprecedented creative freedom. However, these tools raise concerns about the integrity of performances and the potential for misuse. We’re already seeing this happen on the fringes of the advertising world, with Tom Hanks, Keanu Reeves, and other actors being deepfaked into promoting products online.
But AI is also keeping Darth Vader around to fight more rebel scum. While James Earl Jones passed this last year, he had not been voicing the iconic villain for some time. He and his estate licensed the use of his voice to Disney so they could use an AI tool to generate Darth Vader’s voice in future projects. Star Wars fans are sure to appreciate this decision.
The fact that this arrangement was done with his and his family’s approval–before his death, makes it less likely that even industry pros will complain that the studios should have forgone using technology, and ideally found a soundalike actor. Would we have been happier with a soundalike actor taking over? Would knowing that Darth Vader is now voiced by an AI bot change your appreciation for the vocal performance? How might you feel differently if you knew that the man who originated that iconic voice is still getting compensated for his work?
Innovation vs. Integrity in Film
The Academy is grappling with the implications of AI in filmmaking at the surgical level we’re seeing now. With The Brutalist and Emilia Perez, voters need to ask themselves a couple of key questions about how these tools are being used.
Does AI Compromise Artistic Integrity?
One of the core criticisms is that AI tools may overshadow traditional artisanship and performances. For instance, using an AI tool for modifying accents could replace skilled professionals usually brought in during postproduction to fix errors or make accents sound better, leading to job losses and a decline in craftsmanship. The more we outsource this work to AI, the fewer people will work on these projects and develop the skills to get to the next level of their craft.
The second controversy over The Brutalist reflects this concern in a bigger way. The decision to use AI for architectural designs instead of hiring a human architect has been viewed as a cost-cutting shortcut rather than a thoughtful, creative choice. Some argue that this undermines the authenticity and collaborative spirit of filmmaking. That’s a serious blow since filmmaking is perhaps the most collaborative of all major art forms. How often does the insight from one of the thousands of people on a film project affect the continuity of the work as a whole–rather than just in their narrow area of focus? Anecdotally, this occurs often, but who knows for sure what we will lose when most films are constructed and completed with four or five people and an LLM?
Is AI a Creative Tool or a Shortcut?
AI-friendly creators say that it’s merely another tool in a filmmaker’s arsenal. Just as CGI didn’t replace traditional effects but expanded creative possibilities, AI proponents profess that the technology can enhance storytelling without detracting from its human elements.
In Emilia Perez, for example, AI-assisted accent modification might be seen as an extension of existing voice editing techniques. However, opponents believe that AI’s ability to alter performances crosses a line, raising ethical questions about the role of actors and directors in crafting a performance. Should an actor be awarded for a performance that was enhanced with AI? The same has been asked about songs where the singer uses autotune. If you use technology to support your performance, do you really deserve an award? Or should you share the statue with a Large Language Model?

“And the Oscar goes to Adrien Brody and Respeecher.”
The notion of using AI to ‘improve a performance’ might even insult some actors. While both Brody and co-star Felicity Jones worked with dialect coaches, the director (a native Hungarian) still didn’t feel that native-speaking Hungarians would buy their accent. So, if authenticity was that big of a deal, why didn’t the director hire fluent Hungarian actors and push for them to get performances that would be compelling?
Obviously, putting past Oscar winners and nominees into your film helps the box office performance, distribution deals, and – yes – during Awards Season. But did it make the film more artistically successful? In Hollywood, both factors matter, although to different degrees from film to film. Is it worth using AI to ‘fix’ this situation when it breaks a covenant with Academy voters?
Ethical AI Use and Disclosure
The good news is that both films disclosed their use of these tools, although not at the outset of its release with The Brutalist. How many other films did a little nip-tuck here and there? Did they punch up a screenplay with Sudowrite or Claude? Use AI for color correction (not generative, but it is algorithmic) or sound editing? How many standard film staffers didn’t need to be hired because we’re a couple of years into the widespread use of AI?
The ethical implications of AI in filmmaking extend beyond job displacement. They touch on deeper questions about authenticity, creativity, and the human connection that cinema strives to evoke.
- Transparency: Should filmmakers disclose when AI is used? Audiences may feel deceived if they discover that a seemingly human performance was digitally altered. We care about knowing the origin of what we consume, whether it goes into our mouths or into our ears, eyes, and minds.
- Authorship: If AI contributes significantly to a script or design, who owns the credit? The writer, director or developer of the AI tool?
- Cultural Implications: Using AI to modify accents or appearances could raise concerns about cultural representation and authenticity. Both of the nominated films mired in this controversy choose name actors over locals–despite wanting to hear authentic accents in the films. Does AI, which lets these directors have their cake and eat it, too, affect our impression of the people involved or our desire to see the film?
The Future of AI in Hollywood
The integration of AI in filmmaking is inevitable. If the industry tries to resist the change, it risks tough, AI-powered competition outside the community from creatives empowered by new tech to make films for a fraction of the former cost. There are three key things that really need to be done to help the industry and its audience parse the Age of AI and filmmaking.
Establishing Industry Standards
The Academy and other industry groups need to establish guidelines for the ethical use of AI, ensuring transparency, compensation, and fairness. For example, requiring films to credit AI tools in their production process could promote accountability.
Credtent provides useful badges AI transparency for creative projects. It’s easy and free to use this system commercially. See below for the disclosures we generated for The Brutalist and Emilia Perez. With this simple information, we can help people make the decision to support a work of art or not.


Credtent has already worked with artists in the industry to add AI Training Rights to traditional agreements as they negotiate their deals, so there is clarity on whether an optioned IP includes use of the work for training and future generation of additional material. Sequels, additional seasons, and spinoffs could be partially or entirely created with a Small Language Model focused on this purpose. If you want to do that with the property you have licensed, please PAY the creator for that right besides just using the work itself as created.
Balancing Innovation with Tradition
Filmmakers should strive to use AI as a complementary tool rather than a major replacement for human creativity. By combining the strengths of technology with the artistry of traditional methods, filmmakers can maintain their authenticity while evolving with new technologies
As the CEO of Wave.AI, Dr. Maya Ackerman has said, “We need to lean in on the synergy of using AI as a humble creative partner and not on the slacking of letting the machine do all our work.”
Creators need to think about the AI tools they use with a mindset that includes ethics. By holding these companies accountable for ethically sourcing the content they use for training their models, we know we’re contributing to the future of human creativity. We need to know that the original creators of films, books, music, TV shows, art, or other works have not had their rights violated or we will be less interested in using these tools.
Empowering Film Artisans
Instead of displacing workers, let’s use AI to empower them. Training programs and collaborations between technologists and artisans could bridge the gap, creating a more inclusive and innovative industry.
The best work will emerge out of giving creative human beings the means of letting their ideas soar with new technologies. Let’s do it in a way that doesn’t replace people in the creative process. Let’s do it in ways that amplify their ability to make art that inspires audiences and helps make the world a better place.
Creativity at a Crossroads
AI may be controversial in creative work for a long time. It’s exciting and terrifying all at once for people who have made their livelihood in the entertainment industry. When they see films coming out with that uncanny AI feel, audiences may reject the work, too. I predict we’ll see an uptick in live theater, escape rooms, and perhaps LARP performances that will be motivated by wanting to see real people and genuine emotions in person. This is a natural response to everything on your screen feeling increasingly fake.
Eventually, though, the technology will become good enough that we will be more comfortable with it stepping into most creative processes. Let’s make sure that we get the ethics right before we become oblivious to the differences between AI-composed work and that which comes from the mind of someone with a beating heart.
And, if you’re ready to protect your work from AI theft, sign up for Credtent.org by clicking the button below.