'They Are Alchemy' — Guillermo Del Toro Speaks Out on AI in Filmmaking and Why It Can't Replace Human Creativity

Renowned director Guillermo Del Toro expressed his views on artificial intelligence's role in filmmaking during an AMA session on the r/movies subreddit on September 9. Fan ihs25ysf asked him about comments he made in a 2024 talk at the British Film Institute (BFI), stating that AI can create "semi-compelling screensavers" and that "that's essentially that." Del Toro countered that the value of art lies in the risk artists take to experience it and not in the effort required or the cost involved.

Del Toro emphasized the importance of preserving the human element in art, which he believes can't be replicated by machines. He explained that the creative process involves an "alchemy" of discovery, exploration, and serendipity that machines can't achieve. "The three quarters of the process that gave you the chance to think of the idea that people don't think about without that process," he said. "Meaning, AI can get you to the middle really fast, but there's a dialectic with the process that gets you to that top 10%."

Del Toro used the Pale Man from Pan's Labyrinth as an example of this, describing how its design was inspired by a manta ray and a poster for Don Coscarelli's Phantasm. He mentioned that the decision to remove the face from the creature's design was made after seeing a photo of a manta ray and the poster for the film. These creative leaps were not pre-determined by an equation but were the result of an unstructured, intuitive process.

He also discussed the apprenticeship aspect of an artist's journey, stressing that one is never a master; they are always an apprentice. This ongoing learning and growth, he argued, is essential to the creative process. Del Toro shared anecdotes about his conversations with Christopher Nolan and James Cameron, highlighting the role of accidents and practical effects in enhancing the believability and immersion of films.