VFX Professionals Share Thoughts on AI’s Impact on Creativity and Jobs
VFX industry leaders discuss the transformative potential and concerns of AI, discussing its impact on creativity, job security, and the core essence of artistry.
In a revealing episode of The Hollywood Reporter's Behind the Screen podcast, recorded at the View VFX and computer graphics conference in Torino, Italy earlier this month, VFX industry leaders gathered to discuss the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in their craft. The overall idea agreed by all is that while AI holds transformative potential, it is accompanied by significant concerns about job loss, contractual stipulations, and the very essence of artistry, and it directly affects VFX artists’ workflow and mindset in the industry.
Scott Eaton, artist, designer, and creative technologist, expressed the duality many feel towards AI – recognizing its value in efficiency but fearing its impersonal nature. “I love using it, but I also hate using it. I feel like it’s the dehumanization of art,” he articulated.
This sentiment was echoed by VFX supervisor Andreas Maaninka who got into the industry to work with people, staying motivated by human creativity and collaboration, not to work with robots. But the unstoppable march of AI in VFX tasks threatens this human touch and the flexibility for artists to infuse emotion into their creations.
The panelists also recognize that it is more than the personal creative process that is at stake. The economic implications are significant. As AI tools improve and streamline operations, companies might need fewer human employees, leading to potential job losses, the struggle seen across industries recently. Dylan Sisson, artist and designer at Renderman, reflected on his career and recounted his experiences with previous technological shifts that made some of his early work obsolete. Despite the worry, he remains optimistic and reminds others of the unique opportunity to engage with cutting-edge technology.
Richard Scott, CEO of Axis Studios, addresses the legal and moral concerns in AI development and use. Axis Studios has had clients specifically request that all work is “created by the hand of a human.” This contractual phrase hints at broader worries about copyright and originality in an AI-driven world.
As discussions pivoted to the topic of copyrighted material, Daryl Anselmo, game artist and designer, noted the intricacies of balancing open-source movements and copyright rules. He expressed concerns about the potential weaponization and misuse of AI in a world where training data could become copyright-controlled. Therefore, it goes beyond the creative realm, and the society at large bears responsibility now to define the frameworks.
Despite the uncertainties surrounding AI's position in the VFX world, its presence is undeniable. Whether seen as a tool or a threat, the industry is now tasked with navigating this new technology responsibly and ethically. Nevertheless, Scott dispelled two prevalent misconceptions: that AI currently possesses genuine intelligence and that it can entirely replace creative talent.