‘Gladiator II’ director Ridley Scott said ‘It’s trying to embrace AI’

Ridley Scott is approaching artificial intelligence by seeing generative AI as a useful tool rather than a hovering one.

The director of “Blade Runner,” “Alien” and “Gladiator” fame last week revealed an improvement in his outlook on AI, citing it as reducing production costs and opening up new creative opportunities such as animation.

“I'm trying to embrace AI right now,” Scott told The New York Times while promoting his new film, “Gladiator II.” Scott's take on artificial intelligence contrasts sharply with his 2023 comments, likening the technology to a weapon of mass destruction.

At the height of the generative AI craze last year, Scott, who directed the Alien prequel Prometheus, along with fellow directors Christopher Nolan and James Cameron, expressed their concerns about the potential dangers of AI. Nolan and Cameron have made blockbuster films about the dangers of technology, such as “Oppenheimer” and “The Terminator,” respectively.

While Scott doesn't think AI will lead to the downfall of humanity, he acknowledges the technology's impact on Hollywood.

“I don't think it will create jobs except for very high-level specialists,” he said. “You can do what it takes 10 men for 10 weeks in a week.”

Scott echoes the sentiments of actor and entrepreneur Ashton Kutcher, who faced backlash after wading into Hollywood's AI debate in June when he praised OpenAI's Sora tool.

Why go out and shoot the setup of a house in a TV show when you can create setup footage for $100? “It costs you thousands of dollars to go out and shoot,” Kutcher told Variety. “The action scenes where I'm jumping off this building, you don't have to have a stunt man do it, you can just do it.”

Kutcher's arguments on the cost-saving potential of AI have been somewhat controversial, prompting the actor to walk back his comments on social media.

Despite concerns that AI could affect jobs, for filmmakers like Scott Mann, the technology offers the ability to be more flexible — and Scott believes it's something the entertainment industry needs to embrace.

Mann told Decrypt, “AI-powered tools give filmmakers more freedom and flexibility, reducing shooting time and cost and allowing them to perfect scenes in post-production. Without taking away from the artistic vision, it's vital that AI is used ethically and responsibly.”

With the 2023 SAG-AFTRA, WGA strikes and the ongoing video game actors strike as one of the main reasons, the man who directed Robert De Niro in 2015's crime caper “Heist” — emphasized the importance of not replacing studios. Creators with AI.

“Human creativity must remain at the forefront, ensuring that AI enriches the experience of both audiences and artists,” Mann said. “AI is a tool to enhance human creativity, not replace it.”

Edited by Andrew Hayward.