Hollywood Studios Accused of Understating AI Usage Amid Industry Wide Secrecy

Hollywood studios are reportedly using artificial intelligence far more extensively than they publicly acknowledge, according to claims made by a prominent industry insider. The assertions raise questions about transparency in the entertainment sector and the actual penetration of AI technologies within film production processes.

Janice Min, former editor of the Hollywood Reporter and current chief executive of cinema industry media group Ankler Media, has stated that widespread deception characterises the current approach to AI deployment across Hollywood. Speaking in a recent interview with Business Insider, Min asserted that studios are deliberately understating their use of AI technologies.

When pressed on whether studios were using AI more or less than they claimed, Min clarified unequivocally that usage exceeded public disclosure. She extended her claims beyond production companies to suggest that AI technology providers overstate their capabilities whilst creative professionals deny their reliance on these tools.

Min challenged the notion that screenwriters work without AI assistance, suggesting that few writers facing blank pages resist consulting AI chatbots such as Claude or ChatGPT. Such claims, if accurate, would represent a significant shift in creative processes within the screenwriting community.

The controversy surrounding AI usage in Hollywood gained prominence following revelations about the Oscar-winning film “The Brutalist”. Director Brady Corbet confirmed that AI technologies were deployed to enhance Hungarian accents performed by lead actors Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones. Min suggested this case was not anomalous but rather indicative of broader industry practice.

The lack of subsequent controversy has been notable. Min observed that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, traditionally a guardian of cinematic legacy, has failed to establish firm policies regarding AI usage. She characterised the Academy’s approach as a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy and claimed with certainty that every best picture nominee in the current year employed AI at some stage of production.

These assertions warrant careful scrutiny. Whilst Hollywood studios likely utilise various forms of algorithmic processing in post-production work, particularly within visual effects departments, the term “AI” encompasses a broad spectrum of technologies. Many tools classified under this umbrella represent sophisticated algorithms that predate the emergence of generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT and contemporary image or video generation systems.

The creative community has historically demonstrated strong resistance to AI integration. Protections against AI displacement constituted a central element of the 2023 industrial action undertaken by actors and screenwriters, which ranked amongst the longest strikes in Hollywood history. This context makes claims of widespread chatbot adoption among screenwriters difficult to reconcile with stated professional positions.

The narrative surrounding AI’s disruptive potential in entertainment often originates from AI proponents who present such developments positively rather than as cause for concern. The frequent circulation of AI-generated video content, currently featuring tools such as Seedance 2.0, typically includes deepfaked celebrity imagery accompanied by declarations that “Hollywood is cooked”.

However, many such demonstrations have proven misleading. A widely circulated video purportedly showing AI-generated footage of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt engaged in a rooftop fight was subsequently revealed to be a digital reskin of footage featuring actual human performers working against green screen backgrounds. The incident underscores the gap between AI promotional claims and technical reality.

The situation highlights the challenge facing investors and industry observers in assessing the genuine impact of AI technologies on traditional entertainment business models. Distinguishing between substantive technological disruption and promotional theatre remains essential for informed analysis of this evolving sector.