What do The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez, Dune Part II, and A Complete Unknown have in common?

Yes, they’re all films nominated for Oscars at this Sunday’s ceremony. But they share something else – all of these films used Artificial Intelligence tools in some form during production.

For the Brutalist and Emilia Pérez, AI was employed to alter actor’s voices while singing, or speaking Hungarian. For Dune and A Complete Unknown, AI tools changed actor or stunt double’s appearances.

AI usage in film has been controversial for years. In 2023, both the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, the screen actors guild, went on strike – picketing in part over concerns regarding AI.

But now, the red carpet will be full of directors and producers who relied on AI in small ways in their journey to the Oscars.

So what does this say about the state of the film industry? Will this lead, as some have warned before, to the death of the movies?

Guest:
Brett Halperin is a University of Washington doctoral student in human centered design and engineering, and cinema and media studies. 


Related Links:
‘AI is Soulless’: Hollywood Film Workers Strike and Emerging Perceptions of Generative Cinema - ACM Digital Library
Q&A: How AI is changing the film industry - UW News
Oscars Consider Requiring Films to Disclose AI Use After ‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Emilia Pérez’ Controversies - Variety

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

What do The Brutalist, Emilia P&eacute;rez, Dune Part II, and A Complete Unknown have in common?
Yes, they&rsquo;re all films nominated for Oscars at this Sunday&rsquo;s ceremony.&nbsp;But they share something else &ndash; all of these films used Artificial Intelligence tools in some form during production.
For the Brutalist and Emilia P&eacute;rez, AI was employed to alter actor&rsquo;s voices while singing, or speaking Hungarian. For Dune and A Complete Unknown, AI tools changed actor or stunt double&rsquo;s appearances.
AI usage in film has been controversial for years. In 2023, both the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, the screen actors guild, went on strike &ndash; picketing in part over concerns regarding AI.
But now, the red carpet will be full of directors and producers who relied on AI in small ways in their journey to the Oscars.
So what does this say about the state of the film industry? Will this lead, as some have warned before, to the death of the movies?
Guest:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.bretthalperin.com/">Brett Halperin</a> is a University of Washington doctoral student in human centered design and engineering, and cinema and media studies.&nbsp; </li>
</ul>
Related Links:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3716135">&lsquo;AI is Soulless&rsquo;: Hollywood Film Workers Strike and Emerging Perceptions of Generative Cinema</a> - ACM Digital Library</li>
<li><a href="https://www.washington.edu/news/2025/02/25/ai-film-oscars-strike/">Q&amp;A: How AI is changing the film industry</a> - UW News</li>
<li><a href="https://variety.com/2025/artisans/news/oscars-consider-requiring-films-disclose-ai-use-brutalist-1236299063/">Oscars Consider Requiring Films to Disclose AI Use After &lsquo;The Brutalist&rsquo; and &lsquo;Emilia P&eacute;rez&rsquo; Controversies</a> - Variety</li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>.
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

This year the red carpet will be full of directors and producers who relied on AI in small ways in their journey to the Oscars. What does this say about the state of the film industry?

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