The Cannes Film Festival this year put artificial intelligence at the center of its conversations. The sparkling Mediterranean coast was the backdrop for heated debates about AI’s place in cinema. Some filmmakers see AI as a creative boost. Others fear it threatens the very soul of filmmaking.

Darren Aronofsky, known for films like Black Swan, spoke openly about AI’s potential. He explained that AI isn’t about replacing humans. Instead, it is a new tool to add to the filmmaker’s kit. Aronofsky’s studio, Primordial Soup, worked with Google DeepMind to create projects that use AI to solve real problems. For example, in one film, AI digitally transformed a prop into a live baby, avoiding the need for a real infant on set. This kind of technology solves ethical and practical issues while preserving artistic vision.

On the other side, Guillermo del Toro expressed strong opposition. He said he would “rather die” than use AI in his films. His stance represents a faction that worries AI might erode human creativity and replace actors and artists. This worry is not unfounded, as the late Val Kilmer recently appeared posthumously in a trailer recreated with AI. The use of AI to simulate actors raises deep ethical questions about consent and job security.

Expanding Creativity or Replacing Artists?

At Cannes, the divide between embracing and rejecting AI was clear. Filmmaker Chuck Russell showcased two sci-fi features created with the help of AI-driven tools. He called AI an expansion of the cinematic toolbox, offering possibilities never seen before. AI startups also used the festival to highlight their technology’s role in Hollywood’s future.

Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh used AI for about 10% of the imagery in his new documentary, John Lennon: The Last Interview. The AI-generated scenes portrayed surreal moments, like infants dressed in 1960s clothes or cavemen acting out Lennon’s thoughts. Soderbergh said the AI visuals were thematic metaphors, not attempts to deceive. He compared AI to older tools like CGI or visual effects, emphasizing honesty about how the effects were made.

But not everyone agrees that AI is just another tool. Some actors and unions have pushed back. They worry AI could replace human talent or create “fake” actors, like the AI-generated Tilly Norwood, who was once marketed as a potential new star. These concerns sparked calls for clear rules and protections for artists.

The Human Element in AI Storytelling

Despite the tensions, several voices urged the industry to adapt. Demi Moore, a Cannes jury member, said AI is here to stay. She advised filmmakers to embrace AI but never lose the “human soul and spirit” that makes cinema powerful. Peter Jackson compared AI to early stop-motion animation. He reminded everyone that technology alone doesn’t create magic—it’s the artist’s imagination that matters most.

The Cannes spotlight on AI also focused on real-world film production benefits. Studio executives see AI as a way to produce several mid-budget films at the cost of one blockbuster. That could change how movies get funded and made. For now, though, the debate continues over balancing innovation with protecting creative jobs and respecting artists’ rights.

This year’s festival made one thing clear: AI will shape cinema’s future. The questions are how much and in what way. As storytelling tools evolve, the film industry faces a choice. It can harness AI to expand creativity while guarding what makes movies human. Or it can resist and risk missing new opportunities. Cannes offered a rare glimpse at this crossroads, where technology meets tradition under the bright festival lights.