Martin Scorsese faces criticism from Art Directors Guild for comments supporting AI in film production
Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese has been criticized by the Art Directors Guild following recent comments supporting artificial intelligence tools in the filmmaking process.
In a statement released Tuesday, the guild described Scorsese’s position as a “betrayal of the collaborative nature of film” and argued that Scorsese’s support for AI undermines the contributions of human artists involved in production design and visual development.
“Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese is turning his back on the human artists who have helped him create some of the most memorable work throughout his career,” the guild said, adding that generative AI systems rely on large amounts of copyrighted material that can be used without consent or compensation.
Defending the role of traditional production artists in film and television, the statement went on to argue that “generative AI can only create this kind of ‘cinematic intelligence’ by incorporating the vast majority of copyrighted works that are likely collected from the internet without consent, credit, compensation, or transparency.”
Scorsese recently joined AI company Black Forest Labs as an advisor to discuss the use of AI tools in pre-visualization and storyboarding. He said the technology will help filmmakers communicate their visual ideas to production teams more efficiently.
“Film is a young medium, only 125 years old, so we have to be open to how it evolves,” he said, adding that he has previously used digital tools such as 3D technology for Hugo and de-aging technology for The Irishman.
In promotional comments, Scorsese hinted that AI-assisted pre-production could reduce time pressure on staff, saying it could lead to “less attrition on staff” and describing the process as a way to communicate the director’s vision to the larger production team.
According to reports, Scorsese was introduced to Black Forest Lab through an investment relationship with the manager. It remains unclear whether AI tools were used in the development of his new film, What Happens at Night.
Martin Scorsese’s representatives have yet to issue an official response to the Art Directors Guild’s criticism.
