Director Christopher Nolan has weighed in on artificial intelligence, saying the public has pushed back against the technology in a way rarely seen with other innovations. He made the comments while promoting his new film, The Odyssey.
"I've never seen a technology that's been so successfully adopted by Wall Street and by investors and by tech companies that the public has so thoroughly rejected," Nolan told AFP in Paris.
The Oppenheimer and Dark Knight director pointed to the term "AI slop" as evidence of that public attitude. He said young people in particular have developed a "disdain" for AI-generated content flooding social media.
What Nolan Actually Thinks AI Can Do
Nolan did not rule out AI entirely. He said he expects it to produce useful imaging tools for filmmakers.
But he drew a clear line at the idea of AI replacing human workers and creative professionals. "The idea that it replaces human beings wholesale and human creativity, to me it's a nonsense," he said.
AI has been a flashpoint in Hollywood since 2023, when a major strike shut down productions and cost studios billions. Writers, actors and crew members all raised concerns about the technology being used to cut jobs.
Nolan has spoken about AI before. Around the release of Oppenheimer in 2023, he drew comparisons between nuclear restraint and calls to rein in AI development, citing the work of Dr Geoffrey Hinton, who quit Google to speak about AI risks.
The Odyssey and the Casting Controversy
The Odyssey releases in cinemas this week. It carries a reported budget of $250m and was filmed across Mediterranean locations.
Matt Damon plays the lead role of Odysseus. The cast also includes Zendaya, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Anne Hathaway.
Nolan has faced criticism from Elon Musk and other public figures over the casting of Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy. Nolan called those conversations "irrelevant," saying critics have not seen the film.
Nyong'o responded to the backlash directly. "Our cast is representative of the world. I'm not spending my time thinking of a defense," she said.
Nolan referenced his experience directing the Batman trilogy as a guide. He said the lesson he learned was to honour the original text through the strongest personal interpretation, and not to worry about outside noise.
