Hollywood’s biggest filmmakers are fighting AI. Mike Marsland/WireImage; Karwai Tang/WireImage; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images. Some of Hollywood’s most famous filmmakers are putting an end to AI. They believe that great art is rooted in the human experience, something that AI cannot replicate. From Guillermo del Toro to Christopher Nolan, here’s what some of cinema’s most acclaimed
Mike Marsland/WireImage; Karwai Tang/WireImage; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
- Some of Hollywood’s most famous filmmakers are putting an end to AI.
- They believe that great art is rooted in the human experience, something that AI cannot replicate.
- From Guillermo del Toro to Christopher Nolan, here’s what some of cinema’s most acclaimed directors have to say about AI.
As AI advances, top Hollywood directors are trying to protect the art behind great movies.
Generative AI can now produce everything from scripts to visual effects, but some of cinema’s most famous filmmakers argue that it can’t replicate the lived experience, creative judgment and years of craftsmanship that make great art.
It’s part of a broader look at AI in Hollywood, where celebrities like Taylor Swift and Matthew McConaughey have also sought to protect their image from AI-generated knockoffs.
Here’s what some of cinema’s biggest creative voices have to say about AI.
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Guillermo del Toro said AI could prevent future filmmakers from mastering their craft.
At San Diego Comic Con 2026, which ran from Thursday to Sunday, the Mexican director said that the 3D reissue of “Pan’s Labyrinth” was created through a manual conversion process.
“Obviously I said, ‘Absolutely no AI,'” del Toro said.
He said he didn’t mind the added cost of the manual method, which involved about 1,000 artists rotoscoping the film.
“What we are protecting is the beauty and redemptive power of art. It’s not about who gets the work. We are protecting a lineage of art. If we prevent a generation of people from learning their craft, we are depriving them of the rest of the history of that medium, for what?” del Toro said.
Instead of opting for the quickest approach, del Toro said he prioritized quality.
“You have to dedicate time. Each element is rotated by hand. A depth decision made by humans,” he said.
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Christopher Nolan said people should be as skeptical of the creators of AI as they are of the technology itself.
In a July 14 conversation with YouTuber HugoDécrypte, Nolan called AI “a Trojan horse where everyone knows there are Greeks inside.”
“I’ve never seen a technology advance so quickly, so completely rejected by the public,” Nolan said.
He added that he has been surprised by the level of public skepticism toward AI, particularly among the younger generation, which has popularized the term “low AI.”
Nolan said he welcomed that skepticism, arguing that while technology can bring “great gifts,” it should always be approached with caution.
“The motives of the people who gave it to us should also be viewed with skepticism. That’s when we get the best out of a new technology, rather than just having blind faith that everything is going to be great,” Nolan said.
Nolan is known for preferring real stunt work, practical effects, and in-camera techniques over extensive CGI. His latest film, “The Odyssey,” follows in that tradition and has grossed more than $639 million worldwide since its July 17 release, according to Box Office Mojo.
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Steven Spielberg said he puts limits on using AI to replace human creativity.
“I’ve never used AI in any of my films yet,” the filmmaker said at the SXSW 2026 conference, which was held in Austin in March.
“We also have a TV room, where all the seats are occupied. There is not an empty chair with a laptop in front of it,” Spielberg said. “I haven’t used AI in that way.”
The filmmaker added that he is not completely against the technology, saying that he is “in favor of AI in many different disciplines.”
“I’m not in favor of AI replacing a creative individual,” Spielberg said.
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Tim Burton said seeing AI-generated artwork in his signature style left him deeply disturbed.
In 2023, Burton shared his thoughts on BuzzFeed using AI to create Disney characters in his signature style.
“I can’t describe the feeling it gives you. It reminded me of when other cultures say, ‘Don’t take my photo because it’s taking away your soul,'” Burton told The Independent.
Although Burton said some of the AI-generated pieces were “very good,” he found it disturbing to see a machine recreate his visual style.
“It’s like a robot that takes away your humanity, your soul,” he said.
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Bong Joon Ho, the Oscar-winning director of “Parasite,” has an ironic solution for AI: eliminate it.
“My official answer is that AI is good because it is the beginning of the human race finally thinking seriously about what only humans can do. But my personal answer is that I am going to organize a military squad and their mission is to destroy AI,” Bong said at the 2025 Marrakech Film Festival, according to Deadline.
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Celine Song said that artists have a responsibility to defend what makes us human.
Speaking at the 2025 Marrakech Film Festival, according to Deadline, the “Past Lives” director said she is “very concerned” about the way AI is “trying to invade” the experiences that make life beautiful and valuable.
“The first thing we are here to defend as artists is humanity,” Song said. “We are not here to think about what makes human life easy, what makes it convenient, but about what it is really like to live.”
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