Werner Herzog slams use of AI in cinema: “They look completely dead”
Werner Herzog has slammed the use of AI in new cinematic releases, saying that films which make use of the technology “look completely dead”.
The German filmmaker was appearing on a recent episode of the podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend when the discussion moved on to explore Herzog’s thoughts on the increasing use of AI, which is seemingly taking over the industry more and more.
Herzog strongly voiced his disapproval of the technology, branding AI-generated films as “empty and soulless”.
He said, “I have seen movies, short films, completely created by artificial intelligence. Story and acting and everything, they look completely dead. There are stories, but they have no soul. They are empty and soulless.”
Going on to lament how quickly AI has become a bedrock of everyday life, Herzog added: “You know it is the most common, lowest denominator of what is filling billions and billions of informations on the internet. The common denominator and nothing beyond this common denominator can be found in these fabrications.”
Despite his clear condemnation of the use of AI in film, however, the director did emphasise how he felt that the technology does have its uses in other aspects of life, away from the creative industries. Herzog said he did not “want to put [AI] down completely because it has glorious, magnificent abilities in science, pharmaceuticals, transportation.”
However, on balance, he added that it is “already en route to take over warfare. It will be the overwhelming face of warfare of the future.”
The director concluded that AI is like “a nemesis” because of its “cheating, pretending, [and] propagandising.”
It comes as Herzog recently released his book The Future of Truth last month, in which he combined elements of his life story with musings on history and the place of his own philosophies within the world.
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.