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Criticism against hyped film studio A24 after AI collaboration
🇸🇪 Sweden /Culture & Society

Criticism against hyped film studio A24 after AI collaboration

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Film studio A24 faces backlash and boycott threats over a new AI collaboration with Google's DeepMind.
  • Critics, including filmmakers and fans, question the studio's judgment and fear AI's impact on creative control.
  • The partnership aims to develop new methods for film production and distribution, but A24 states Google won't train AI on its library.

Acclaimed film studio A24, known for its critically successful and commercially popular movies, is now facing significant criticism and boycott calls following a new partnership with Google's AI research lab, DeepMind. The studio, previously lauded for saving cinema with hits like "Backrooms," which grossed over $200 million, is now under fire from industry professionals and online cinephiles.

The controversy stems from Google's reported $75 million investment in the collaboration, described as a long-term research project merging technology with creative storytelling. The stated goal is to develop innovative methods and workflows for both film production and distribution, with filmmakers expected to participate in shaping the AI tools. However, A24 has assured that Google will not gain access to its film library for AI model training.

is a disappointment

— Justine BatemanDirector Justine Bateman wrote on X that the news of the AI collaboration "is a disappointment" and warned that directors who have worked with A24 should prepare for potential unwanted modifications to their films.

Industry figures have voiced strong opposition. Director Justine Bateman expressed disappointment, warning that directors who have worked with A24 should "prepare to have their films modified against their will." Online, A24's Instagram comments sections are flooded with anti-AI sentiments and digital "tomato throwing," with users accusing the studio of losing its edge and acting out of greed.

Adding to the criticism is an apparent contradiction: A24's latest success, "Backrooms," was directed by Kane Parsons, who has publicly spoken out against AI, calling it "genuinely harmful" and stating it has "no place in Hollywood." This perceived double standard has fueled the backlash, with many fans vowing to boycott future A24 productions, lamenting the shift from a studio they once admired for its artistic integrity.

genuinely harmful

— Kane ParsonsThe director of A24's hit film 'Backrooms,' Kane Parsons, has previously stated that AI is 'genuinely harmful' and has 'no place in Hollywood,' creating a point of contention amid the studio's new AI partnership.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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