Guillermo del Toro criticizes the use of AI in cinema after receiving honor

The director Guillermo del Toro, 61, criticized the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in cinema as he received the Vanguard Tribute for his newest film, “Frankenstein”during the Gotham Awardson Monday night (1). The filmmaker was accompanied on stage by the film’s protagonists, Jacob Elordi, who plays the Creature, and Oscar Isaac, who plays Victor Frankenstein.

They opened their speech by paying tribute to the author of the novel that inspired the film, Mary Shelley, revealing that she read the classic when she was 11 years old and, since then, she knew she wanted to turn the book into a film.

“I understood at that time, through her work and the first glimpse of Boris Karloff (the actor who played the monster in the first film adaptation of the work) that I didn’t belong in the world the way my parents, the way the world expected me to fit in,” he began.

“My place was a distant land inhabited only by monsters and misfits. They have been my family ever since. So to be able to return to that story now, at age 61, with artists as extraordinary as Oscar and Jacob, has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and in them I have found another family.”

After brief speeches by Jacob and Oscar during the event, which took place on Monday (01), at Cipriani Wall Street, in New York, the director returned to the stage to thank the cast and technical team.

“I would like to say to the rest of our extraordinary cast and crew that everyone’s artistry shines through in every frame of this film, which was deliberately made by humans, for humans. The designers, builders, makeup teams, costume designers, cinematographers, composers, editors – this honor belongs to them all.”

The big screen icon ended his speech by criticizing the use of AI in Hollywood. “I would like to extend our gratitude and say: f*** AI.”

In October, del Toro had already toughened his tone by stating that he “would rather die” than use generative AI in his films.

On NPR’s Fresh Air podcast, he was asked whether he had used technology in his new adaptation of “Frankenstein.” “AI, especially generative AI, doesn’t interest me, nor will it ever interest me. I’m 61 years old, and I hope to remain disinterested until the day I quit,” he replied.

The filmmaker drew parallels between AI and the behavior of Victor Frankenstein. “My concern is not with artificial intelligence, but with natural stupidity. I think that’s what motivates the worst teachers in the world.”