Artificial intelligence has taken centre stage at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, emerging as both a powerful ally and a source of anxiety for the global film industry and at the new 1,000-square-metre Village Innovation, startups and tech companies showcased how AI is transforming filmmaking—from scriptwriting and casting to sound design and audience testing.
While some hail AI as a solution to the industry’s financial and creative challenges, others warn that it threatens jobs and artistic integrity. “The wave is coming,” one industry expert stated at the Marché du Film. “Our only option is to surf it.”
Companies like the Swiss-based Largo.ai offer tools that simulate audience reactions using “digital twins,” helping filmmakers predict how viewers will respond to scripts and scenes. The LA-based nonprofit Cinematography for Actors sees this as a valuable resource for young filmmakers seeking funding.
Nearby, Ukraine’s Respeecher, which garnered attention for its voice-cloning technology in Oscar-nominated films like The Brutalist and Emilia Perez, faced scrutiny over AI’s impact on performance authenticity. The Academy responded by updating Oscar rules to emphasise human authorship at the core of eligible works.
Despite growing concerns, AI’s momentum in the industry appears unstoppable. Director James Cameron predicts that AI could reduce blockbuster production costs by 50%, while Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos believes it could enhance movies by “10%.” Yet critics remain cautious. “AI is a powerful tool, but we don’t fully understand its long-term impact,” warns screenwriter David Defendi.
Regulation is lagging behind innovation. While the EU has adopted new AI regulations requiring transparency and copyright protections, Hollywood’s 2023 strikes only scratched the surface of what is needed to protect creators. “Writers fear copyright theft, and AI writing is still subpar,” says Katharina Gellein Viken of Metrotone Media. “The question now is what guardrails we should put in place?”
As Cannes navigates the crossroads between tradition and technology, one message is clear: AI is here to stay—whether the industry is ready.
