Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese has sparked controversy within the creative community after endorsing generative artificial intelligence. The 83-year-old director, known for classics such as Goodfellas and Taxi Driver, recently announced his role as an advisor to Black Forest Labs, a company that developed an image generation program called FLUX. In promotional materials, Scorsese expressed interest in the intersection of technology and storytelling, stating, 'Remember, cinema is a young medium, only around 125 years old, so we have to be open to how it can evolve.'
Art Directors Guild Condemns Decision
The Art Directors Guild (ADG), IATSE Local 800, released an open letter criticizing Scorsese for 'turning his back on human artists.' The letter began with a pointed reference to Black Forest Labs' AI system: 'Mr. Scorsese, The Business is not in flux.' The guild argued that Scorsese is promoting a product that undermines the work of skilled professionals, including graphic artists, set designers, and illustrators, who have contributed to his films over decades.
'In the recently released Black Forest Labs video promoting their generative AI product FLUX, Mr. Scorsese asks the question, “How do you communicate what you see in your head to your cast and crew?” He claims the solution is the use of this generative AI program to do the jobs that are rightfully the jurisdiction of Art Directors Guild Local 800 artists and designers,' the statement read.
Copyright Concerns and Industry Backlash
Generative AI has been a contentious issue in creative industries, with concerns over copyright infringement and job displacement. The ADG's statement highlighted that generative AI 'is only capable of producing this type of “cinematic intelligence” by ingesting large swaths of copyrighted work, likely scraped from the internet without consent, credit, compensation, or transparency.' This tension has been central to artistic opposition to AI, though some argue the industry must adapt to technological advancements.
Earlier this year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ruled that movies using generative AI for acting and writing would be ineligible for awards. The ADG concluded its letter by stating that the skills of its members 'bring the highest level of value to any film or television production' and that the use of AI built on potentially stolen work is 'a betrayal of the collaborative nature of cinema.'
Reactions from Other Filmmakers
Scorsese has yet to respond to the backlash. Other creatives have also voiced criticism, including Karla Ortiz, who worked on films such as Avengers: Endgame, Black Panther, and Doctor Strange. She wrote on social media, 'He throws every single storyboard artist he’s ever worked with under the bus, as he demolishes their livelihoods with models that are likely trained on those storyboard artists’ same works.'
In contrast, some directors have taken a more measured approach. Steven Spielberg described AI as a tool that could 'save us a lot of legwork' but should not have 'any final word on anything creative.' Guillermo del Toro, known for his elaborate practical effects, stated he would 'rather die' than use AI.
