An attendee was removed from a Sundance festival event on Tuesday following a dispute about artificial intelligence, leading to a walkout that underscores the divisions the technology has rapidly created in the film industry.
AI, a significant factor in the recent Hollywood strikes, has been a subject of extensive debate at this year’s independent film festival in Utah.
During the festival, filmmakers have explored the use of AI as a creative tool while also expressing concerns about its potential to eliminate jobs and impede human expression and connection.
At a screening of “Being (The Digital Griot)” on Tuesday, where audience members were invited to interact with an AI bot on issues like racism and patriarchy, a person in the audience reportedly shouted, “fuck this AI.”
The creator of the film, artist Rashaad Newsome, responded by stating, “I’m not here to be cursed out, and I’m not going to have my AI child cursed out either,” refusing to engage in a post-screening Q&A until action was taken.
Following this, event staff escorted the individual who shouted out of the auditorium, leading to some audience members leaving in solidarity, expressing concerns about stifled debate and questioning the accuracy of the expulsion.
Sundance organizers informed AFP that they are investigating the incident and assessing all available information to address the situation accordingly.
The incident shed light on long-standing and intensifying tensions surrounding the role of AI in the film industry, a theme that was prominently featured in this year’s Sundance lineup.
Apart from “Being,” the festival showcased documentaries like “Eternal You” and “Love Machina,” focusing on individuals using AI to communicate with deceased loved ones.
Additionally, the film “Eno” delved into musician Brian Eno’s career and creative process, utilizing a “generative engine” to blend numerous versions of a film from a vast array of scenes.
On the fictional side, movies such as “Love Me,” featuring Kristen Stewart, envisioned a romance between an AI-powered buoy and a satellite in a post-human setting.
Directors like Peter Sillen and Hans Block discussed the implications of AI in filmmaking, highlighting both the potential for enhanced creativity and the importance of regulating its impact to prevent negative consequences.
The encroachment of AI in the film industry has raised concerns among filmmakers, with debates focusing on the potential replacement of traditional roles by automated technology.
Filmmakers like Anirban Dutta emphasized the importance of preserving human touch and instincts in the face of mechanization, as depicted in his documentary “Nocturnes.”
The individual ejected from the “Being” screening, who remains unidentified, echoed similar sentiments about the reliance of AI on human knowledge before the disruption occurred.
