Filmmakers at Cannes push back on idea that AI creates without human input

Filmmakers push back on AI misconceptions at Cannes panel

Leading filmmakers addressed a central misunderstanding about artificial intelligence at a Cannes Marché du Film panel: that AI is a replacement for creative work rather than a tool to support it.

"The most common misconception is that these tools somehow create for you. They do not," said Jon Erwin, US director and founder of Innovative Dreams, whose Amazon Prime Video series House Of David used Kling AI's generative video platform. "They accelerate and amplify your creativity."

The distinction matters for working creatives. AI tools handle repetitive, labor-intensive tasks-freeing directors, animators, and crews to focus on storytelling and artistic decisions.

Removing drudgery from production

Chinese animation director Wei Li described how AI addresses the physical toll of traditional animation workflows. Years ago, his student would scan storyboards into digital files for entire days and nights while Li worked on creative decisions. "I was enjoying the session but he was just doing the repetitive work," Li said. "Standing beside him, I felt I was watching a robot."

Large-scale animation projects once required teams of thousands working for four to five years. Li said finishing his film Jiang Ziya: Legend of Deification left him depressed for years. "If there was one thing the director hadn't thought through, he was using other people's lives to accompany his trial and error," he said.

Modern AI tools have shrunk animation teams while expanding creative input from each member. "You can use the AI to free your hands, express your mind and utilise your imagination more," Li said.

Access over cost savings

South Korean director Eekjun Yang made his sci-fi feature Raphael entirely through AI. He pushed back on the assumption that filmmakers adopt these tools primarily to cut budgets.

"The biggest misconception is that we are using AI just because we want to make films cheaper and faster," Yang said. For him, the technology was not optional. "For a director like myself who is not famous yet or has never had experience making feature films, it was very hard to obtain any investment in the first place. Therefore, AI tool use was not a choice but a necessity."

Erwin agreed that cost and speed are byproducts of more creative workflows, not the primary goal. "The fact that it is cheaper and faster is a by-product of the fact that it is more creative, more intuitive and a more collaborative way to work," he said.

Emotional nuance remains challenging

One technical hurdle persists: intimate scenes with detailed emotional expressions often prove harder to render through AI than complex action sequences. Yang said Kling AI performs exceptionally well with emotional expression-a critical capability for character-driven storytelling.

Erwin predicted the barriers to entry will continue falling. "The only limit is the storyteller's imagination, the quality of their story and how good they are telling it to those around them," he said.

Kling AI, which launched two years ago, has served more than 60 million creators globally. The company announced a partnership with UK-based Evolutionary Films on an animated family project called Minibots, scripted by Michael Ferris and featuring character design by Tony Bancroft.

Learn more about generative video tools and how they integrate into creative workflows, or explore resources for AI for creatives.