Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has spoken out against the use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, asserting that it should not replace the creative process in Hollywood. During a recent appearance on Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson's 'IMO' podcast, Spielberg shared his concerns about AI taking over roles traditionally held by writers.
Spielberg's Stance on AI
Spielberg stated, "Where I don't love AI is where it takes a position or there's an empty chair at a writer's table. I'm not willing to substitute, you know, because I don't really believe in sentience. I don't believe there is any substitute for the soul. I don't think that is an algorithm that's inventible... A computer that thinks it feels more than we feel is anathema to the way I was raised and how I'll practice my own trade of producing and directing in the future."
AI as a Tool, Not a Creator
The 'Jaws' director acknowledged that AI can assist with certain tasks like scouting locations, saving "a lot of legwork." However, he drew a firm line against AI making creative decisions. "Don't tell me how to write my dialogue for this character. Don't tell me where the camera has to go. And also don't tell me what the set should look like, unless AI is simply a tool in a large tool chest of the production designer. Use AI as a tool, but do not use AI as the final word on anything creative. That's where I draw the line," he added.
Other Hollywood Voices Against AI
Spielberg is among the rare Hollywood figures to publicly criticize AI in movies. In December 2025, Leonardo DiCaprio also emphasized that AI-generated content cannot be "authentically" considered art. DiCaprio remarked, "I think anything that is going to be authentically thought of as art has to come from the human being. Otherwise -- haven't you heard these songs that are mashups that are just absolutely brilliant and you go, 'Oh my God, this is Michael Jackson doing the Weeknd,' or 'This is funk from the A Tribe Called Quest song "Bonita Applebum," done in a sort of Al Green soul-song voice, and it's brilliant.' And you go, 'Cool.' But then it gets its 15 minutes of fame and it just dissipates into the ether of other internet junk. There's no anchoring to it. There's no humanity to it, as brilliant as it is."
