Seth Rogen: Writers Using AI "Shouldn't Be a Writer"
Seth Rogen criticized screenwriters who use artificial intelligence to assist with scripts, saying those who rely on the technology "shouldn't be a writer." The actor-filmmaker made the comments at the Cannes Film Festival while promoting the animated film Tangles.
Rogen rejected the premise that AI improves the creative process. "A screenwriter using the technology to assist in the process is 'not writing,'" he said. "If your instinct is to use AI and not go through that process, you shouldn't be a writer. 'Cause then you're not writing."
He added: "Go do something else."
The criticism extends to his own work. "I think the idea of a tool that makes me write less is not appealing to me," Rogen said. "I like writing."
The Creative Process Matters
Sarah Leavitt, a creative writing professor whose memoir inspired Tangles, echoed Rogen's position. "One of the things AI can't do is go through the creative process," she told students. "You're not just creating a product that's done, you're going through the process of figuring it out."
The Tangles adaptation took a decade to develop. "Which we did for 10 years!" Leavitt said with a laugh, underscoring the time required for meaningful creative work.
Lauren Miller Rogen, Rogen's wife and a producer on the film, questioned whether AI could capture deeply personal human experience. "It's only what's fed into it," she said of the technology. "And I don't know how you could ever feed in what we went through."
The couple's connection to the project runs deep. Lauren's mother was diagnosed with genetic early-onset Alzheimer's at age 55, inspiring both the Tangles adaptation and their 2025 documentary Taking Care. They founded Hilarity for Charity in 2012 to support Alzheimer's awareness.
Hand-Drawn Animation Prevails
Tangles deliberately uses traditional animation methods. "Every frame has a human touch to it, which is great," Rogen said of the hand-drawn approach.
The film premiered at Cannes on May 14, directed by Leah Nelson and featuring voice work from Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Sarah Silverman, and others.
For creatives navigating AI's expanding role in production, AI for Creatives and AI for Writers resources explore how the technology fits into actual creative work.
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