Legendary film director Steven Spielberg spoke out against the use of AI technology in creative work in an interview Friday at the SXSW conference in Austin. When asked what he thought about the usefulness of AI as part of the filmmaking process, Spielberg responded, “I haven’t used AI in any of my movies yet,” to cheers and applause from the audience.
The director/producer/screenwriter made famous for blockbuster hits like Jaws, E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Raiders of the Lost Ark isn’t necessarily anti-technology. His own films have imagined worlds filled with technology, for better or worse, such as Minority Report, Ready Player One, and, of course, Artificial Intelligence, to name a few.
At SXSW 2026, Spielberg said he doesn’t want to make a big fuss about AI, saying that while he is in favor of the technology “in many areas,” there is “no empty chair with a laptop in front of it” in the writers’ room, even on television. In other words, he’s not outsourcing his creativity to machines.
“If AI replaces creative individuals, I’m not for it,” he said.
Of course, someone like Spielberg might not need AI assistance. AI startups are marketing themselves to resource-constrained indie filmmakers. Elsewhere, streaming industry giants are considering the use of AI. Amazon announced this year that it was testing AI tools in film and TV production, and Netflix acquired Ben Affleck’s AI film production company for a reported $600 million earlier this month.
