“But that’s not going to stop the industry”: George Lucas’ Crude Take on AI in Hollywood Sparks a Heated Debate
The use of generative AI, or artificial intelligence, in the creative industry has seemingly become one of the hot-button topics over the last couple of years. AI tools exploded into the mainstream in 2023, which was followed by the Hollywood Writers Guild Association going on strike over pay and concerns about AI taking over. Legendary filmmaker George Lucas has also shared his views on the use of AI in filmmaking.
Back in June, Harrison Ford starrer Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny used AI tools to de-age an 80-year-old actor. It was followed by the SAG-AFTRA going on strike for 118 days, trying to protect their position in the industry and making sure that the AI tools were no longer used to replace the actors. Fans have also reacted to the Star Wars filmmaker’s view on the use of AI in filmmaking.
Star Wars creator George Lucas’ take on using AI for filmmaking
George Lucas is the creator of one of the biggest and most loved franchises in the world of cinema, Star Wars. The filmmaker appeared at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where, ahead of receiving his honorary Palme d’Or, he touched upon the criticism of Star Wars movies and the use of AI tools in filmmaking.
Addressing the criticism of Star Wars, Lucas said via Variety,
They would say, ‘It’s all white men’. Most of the people are aliens! The idea is that you’re supposed to accept people for what they are, whether they’re big and furry or whether they’re green or whatever. The idea is that all people are equal.
He added that the people in the Star Wars movie only discriminated against robots. He mentioned that it was a way of saying that people are always discriminating against something, and sooner or later that is what is going to happen. The Star Wars creator added that the industry is already starting with AI, noting that they cannot trust those robots.
During his candid interview with Brut, the filmmaker decided to share his take on the use of AI tools, adding that they have been using them for the past 25 years. He added that it’s not AI, but they use all the digital technology because they pioneered a lot of that, noting that, especially at ILM (Industrial Light & Magic), they were the only place that was doing digital.
Further, he said,
But the thing about it is, it’s inevitable. I mean, it’s like saying, ‘I don’t believe these cars are going to work. Let’s just stick with the horses. Let’s stick with horses.’ And yeah, you can say that, but that isn’t the way the world works.
The filmmaker was asked about the future of cinema, and he said that it was the same thing as it is now. He explained that nobody knows what to do, adding that the stories the makers are trying to tell now are just old movies. George Lucas added that people are simply making sequels or another version of a movie, which leads him to say that there is no original thinking.
Fans have mixed reactions to George Lucas’ take on the use of AI
Scarlett Johansson recently opened up about how she was approached to voice Chat GPT’s new version but refused, only to find out that the voice company used sounds similar to hers. This once again brought up the conversation about the use of AI in the creative industry. George Lucas’ take on the generative AI being used in filmmaking at the Cannes Film Festival led to fans reacting in a heated discussion on social media.
A user noted, ‘He’s not wrong; people may not like it, but that’s not going to stop the industry’ with another user agreeing with Lucas as they wrote, ‘He’s right, the arguments of the anti-AI crowd are exactly the same arguments against cars, CGI, mobile phones, etc.’
George Lucas pushed tech boundaries in film with ILM, THX, Pixar etc but the difference is they took craft. AI doesn't.
— All Things Movies (@ThatMoviePage) May 25, 2024
he's not wrong people may not like it but that's not going to stop the industry
— Eddie (@OHMYDIAZ) May 24, 2024
Especially for the people who feel threatened the most by AI – it's crucial they learn how to integrate it into their work and improve with it.
So instead of being replaced you become irreplaceable
— Joe Soon (@JoeSoon08) May 24, 2024
Another X user mentioned that George Lucas has always been a step ahead, adding that the filmmaker could see how the world was changing before it did. But some users did not agree with the legendary filmmaker, as one of them wrote, ‘It makes no sense. We’ve gone decades without using AI, and there have been so many of those films that turned out to be visual masterpieces.’
Inevitable for what? Lucas was one of the trail blazers of cinema and creativity yet he’s saying we should just let AI into an industry whose sole reason for being is the creativity of people? Seriously what is going on with all these high profile creators just accepting ai now?
— Chatsunami 🏴 (@ChatsunamiPod) May 24, 2024
A user online detailed his view by stating, ‘Inevitable for what? Lucas was one of the trailblazers of cinema creativity, yet he’s saying we should just let AI into the industry whose sole reason for being is the creativity of people. Seriously, what is going on with all these high-profile creators just accepting AI now?’
Except the cars didn’t steal the creative output of horses
— DavidB (@CGDavidB) May 25, 2024
He's correct. But firms need to realise that AI is a tool for labour, not a perfect substitute. Replace the horse with a car, but retrain the rider into a driver.
— Kiel (@KielJohal) May 24, 2024
Fans were divided, with some accepting what Lucas had to say and some disagreeing, as they believed that the use of AI could take away the human aspect of cinema.
Star Wars movies are available to stream on Disney+.
