By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated 45 seconds ago
Right now, there is an ongoing debate about the role of AI in filmmaking. Some consumers and creators think that movies should be free of AI and that everything we see onscreen should be made entirely by humans. Others see this technology as a great equalizer, one that allows independent directors to create movies they otherwise couldn’t afford to make. While companies like OpenAI and Anthropic may be stumbling right now (a switch to token-based billing will do that!), it’s obvious that we can’t put the cat back into the bag. AI is here to stay, and it’s important for us to figure out what it means for future films and filmmakers.
Now, one filmmaker has proposed a solution that is both simple and elegant. At a recent film festival, Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski proposed a solution. Rather than calling for no AI in films whatsoever, he believes that movies should get a separate rating based on what they used AI for. As an example, he thinks that using AI for scriptwriting is egregious enough to warrant an “F” rating. In other scenarios, Verbinski believes it is more acceptable for, say, cash-strapped directors to use AI for various production needs. The key to making all of this work? Simple: complete transparency.
Making AI Walk The Plank
Recently, Gore Verbinski attended the Taormina Film Festival. His primary purpose was to discuss his film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, which stars Sam Rockwell as a traveler from the future. He’s come to the past to recruit allies to fight a rogue AI. If they can’t stop the AI in time, it will destroy all of humanity.
Given the context for this movie, it’s no wonder that Verbinski has some deep thoughts on the role of AI in modern society. On the subject of AI use in movies, he took a relatively nuanced stance, claiming that (depending on your definition), Hollywood has relied on AI tools “for 20 years.” Regarding generative AI, he has a simple proposal: a rating system that specifies exactly how AI was used in the movie.
“If you use AI to write a script, you get an F,” he said. “What people are most afraid of is that there is no transparency. People are afraid of what is real and what isn’t.” Unlike many in the industry, Verbinski is not a hardliner who thinks all future films should be made without AI. Instead, he thinks that it is more acceptable for directors to use this technology in certain cases, like when microbudget directors can’t afford to bring some crucial element of their film to life.
Transparency Is Everything
For Verbinksi, the most important thing about this proposed rating system is that it lets customers know what to expect before they spend any cold, hard cash. “I think you have to be absolutely transparent [about] what it was used for. I would never try to use it to be in front of the story,” he said. Obviously, there is plenty of room to debate which uses of AI don’t have a negative impact on the story. But in broad strokes, Verbinski’s proposal is nearly perfect: it serves to warn audiences about the potential presence of AI while also warning us of how that AI was used.
This would allow everyone to vote with their wallet. If more people show up for films made without AI, we will see a Renaissance of human-made content. Similarly, if more people showed up for films made with AI, such movies will become the norm. Honestly, I think if movies made by AI were conveniently labeled, most customers would shun these films in favor of ones made entirely by humans. We’ll never know until we try it, and Gore Verbinski’s proposed AI rating system is the best idea yet for offering the transparency audiences deserve.
