Cannes Leaders Clash Over AI in Film as Soderbergh Uses It for 10% of Lennon Documentary
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 24
Cannes Leaders Clash Over AI in Film as Soderbergh Uses It for 10% of Lennon Documentary
9 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 24
Cannes turned AI into one of the festival’s dominant debates, with filmmakers, executives and startups split over whether the technology expands cinema or threatens human creators.
Darren Aronofsky, promoting projects through his Primordial Soup studio and Google DeepMind partnership, argued AI is a production tool that can solve practical and ethical problems — including replacing the need to use a real newborn on set.
Steven Soderbergh said AI generated about 10% of the imagery in John Lennon: The Last Interview, framing the reconstructed scenes as transparent, metaphorical effects rather than deception.
The divide ran across the industry: Demi Moore and Peter Jackson backed limited use, Seth Rogen rejected AI-assisted writing, and Guillermo del Toro said he would "rather die" than use it.
Cannes has barred primarily AI-generated films from its main competition, but the argument is widening as studios pursue cheaper hybrid productions and awards bodies struggle to define how much AI use is acceptable.
As the Oscars ban AI from top awards, is Hollywood creating a permanent creative class divide?
If AI makes blockbusters for indie film prices, will audiences care if the creator isn't human?
AI actors now have music careers. Is the very concept of human celebrity becoming obsolete?
Cannes 2026 and the AI Cinema Revolution: The Controversy, Regulation, and Future of Filmmaking Sparked by Soderbergh’s *John Lennon: The Last Interview*
Overview
The 2026 Cannes Film Festival became the center of a major debate about artificial intelligence in cinema, sparked by the premiere of Steven Soderbergh’s documentary, John Lennon: The Last Interview. The film drew significant attention for its use of groundbreaking generative AI technology, which created sequences that traditional filmmaking could not achieve. At its heart, the documentary offers a deep dive into John Lennon’s final extensive interview, providing valuable historical content and drama, and features insights from Yoko Ono. This bold use of AI at Cannes highlighted both the creative possibilities and the controversies now facing the film industry.