Guillermo del Toro, the Oscar-winning director behind masterpieces like ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ and ‘The Shape of Water’, is no stranger to expressing his views, and artificial intelligence is no exception. While the use of AI continues to spark debate in the world of art, del Toro has made his position clear: he’s not a fan.
In a talk at the BFI in London, del Toro succinctly dismissed AI’s capabilities in art: “AI has demonstrated that it can do semi-compelling screensavers. That’s essentially that.” He doesn’t believe AI can replicate genuine human expression, arguing that “the value of art is not in how much it costs and how little effort it requires. It’s how much would you risk to be in its presence.” He questions the emotional depth of AI-generated art, asking, “Are they going to make them cry because they lost a son? A mother? Because they misspent their youth? Fuck no!”
Del Toro’s criticisms stem from a desire for authenticity in animation. In an interview with Euronews Culture last year, he lamented the trend towards “emoji-style” animation, where characters are overly simplistic and lack depth. “I think it’s urgent to see real life in animation. Emotions are codified into a sort of teenage rom-com, almost emoji-style behaviour. (If) I see a character raising his fucking eyebrow, or crossing his arms, having a sassy pose — oh, I hate that shit. Why does everything act as if they’re in a sitcom? I think is emotional pornography. All the families are happy and sassy and quick, everyone has a one-liner. Well, my dad was boring. I was boring. Everybody in my family was boring. We had no one-liners. We’re all fucked up. That’s what I want to see animated. I would love to see real life in animation. I actually think it’s urgent.”
While del Toro is cautious about AI’s role in art, his concerns extend beyond technology. During the Annecy Animation Film Festival, he issued a warning against corporate stupidity, not artificial intelligence. “When people say they’re scared of AI, I say don’t be afraid of any intelligence; be afraid of stupidity,” shared del Toro. “Every intelligence is artificial. Stupidity is natural. Completely, 100 percent natural, organic. Be afraid of stability. That’s the real enemy.”
Del Toro’s preference for the human touch is evident in his filmmaking approach. He strives to avoid digital sets and effects as much as possible, believing that “we need things that we know are made by humans to recover the human spirit. I love things that look handmade. I fucking hate perfection.”
Del Toro is currently filming ‘Cabinet of Curiosities,’ a series produced by Netflix. This project marks his return to directing since his 2022 masterpiece ‘Pinocchio,’ which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, adding to his impressive collection of awards, including the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director in 2017 for ‘The Shape of Water.’
