Guillermo del Toro would 'rather die' than use AI in his movies

Guillermo del Toro would "rather die" than use generative artificial intelligence (AI) in his movies.

The 61-year-old filmmaker never thought to use the tool in his version of Frankenstein, adapted from Mary Shelley’s novel.

When asked if he used generative AI in his forthcoming $120 million take on the classic horror flick, Del Toro said on a recent episode of NPR's Fresh Air podcast: "AI, particularly generative AI, I am not interested, nor will I ever be interested.

"I'm 61, and I hope to be able to remain uninterested in using it at all until I croak.

"The other day, somebody wrote me an email and said, 'What is your stance on AI?'

"My answer was very short. I said, 'I'd rather die.'"

After the host said they were "strong words" to use, Del Toro responded: "Man, not for me. I'm Mexican.

"But I think even when a human sings a song that has already been recorded six, seven times, they're filtering their experience, their life.

"I often think of Johnny Cash singing Hurt, the Trent Reznor song, and making it entirely his own, or Joe Cocker singing The Beatles.

"That's not a version, that's not remixing, that is filtering through alchemical pain and experience, and work of art into making it your own."