The growing convergence of Silicon Valley and Hollywood is ushering in a new chapter for the global film industry, with artificial intelligence increasingly becoming part of the filmmaking process. A landmark partnership between independent production studio A24 and Google’s AI research arm, DeepMind, has recently emerged as one of the clearest signs yet of this transformation.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Google is investing approximately $75 million in A24, marking the tech giant’s first direct financial investment in a Hollywood film production company. The collaboration aims to explore how AI can enhance filmmaking while preserving creative control in the hands of filmmakers.
Under the agreement, A24 will gain access to DeepMind’s research infrastructure, while DeepMind researchers will work alongside the studio’s creative teams to develop new production workflows. However, Google will not be allowed to use A24’s film catalogue or content to train its AI models; that means acclaimed films such as Moonlight and Everything Everywhere All at Once will not become training data for generative AI systems.
The partnership reflects a broader trend of technology companies expanding their presence in the entertainment industry. Netflix has reportedly acquired actor Ben Affleck’s AI startup Interpositive in a deal worth around $600 million, while Lionsgate has taken a more open approach by allowing generative video company Runway AI to train its models using the studio’s film library.
Disney, meanwhile, has experimented with OpenAI on limited character licensing projects, even as it pursues copyright infringement lawsuits against AI image generators Midjourney and MiniMax over the alleged unauthorised use of copyrighted material. Elsewhere, filmmaker Darren Aronofsky’s production company, Primordial Soup, has already produced a short film using Google’s AI video model Veo.
Despite the growing momentum behind AI, many prominent filmmakers remain deeply sceptical. Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro recently warned that the film industry is approaching “visual and cinematic illiteracy.” He has previously remarked that he would rather “die” than rely on generative AI for creative work.
Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan has expressed similar concerns. His upcoming series reportedly carries a credit stating that it was created entirely by humans, reflecting his belief that human creativity remains the industry’s most valuable asset and that excessive dependence on AI could erode artistic inspiration.
Others, however, see AI as a tool rather than a replacement for filmmakers. Scott Belsky of A24 Labs argues that technology companies have long marketed AI primarily as a faster and cheaper alternative, fuelling distrust among artists. He believes AI can instead serve as a creative assistant, provided filmmakers retain full artistic control and creative independence.
As AI continues to make inroads into Hollywood, the industry’s future may depend less on whether the technology is adopted than on how it is governed. The challenge ahead will be striking a balance between technological innovation and the human creativity that has long defined the art of cinema.
