'AI slop' or not? 2 Singapore films set for National Day release spark debate

Two Singapore-made films, Bersama Majulah and Trace Project, premiering on National Day have ignited online debates. Critics have dismissed the AI-generated movies as "AI slop" and expressed concerns over the growing role of generative AI in filmmaking. Bersama Majulah, a short film by Edenstone, depicts a National Day Parade turned into a zombie apocalypse set in a fictional Singapore.

The film features local landmarks like Marina Bay and the Merlion. Trace Project, produced by FizzDragon, follows Singapore's first astronaut to Mars. Both films have faced criticism for their AI-generated visuals, with viewers describing them as lifeless, having horrible dialogue and accents. Some users questioned the film's intent, with one calling it satire.

Bersama Majulah's creator, Joel Boh, defended the film, emphasizing that human creativity and oversight remained integral throughout. He stated that AI only handles the execution layer, such as environments, visual effects, and production scaling. Meanwhile, Trace Project's producer, Pax Chen, defended her work as an experiment and an invitation for viewers to form their own opinions.

The debate on AI-generated filmmaking comes as it gains traction internationally and faces opposition from parts of the film industry, who argue that it takes away human creativity and emotional authenticity.