Guillermo del Toro has condemned artificial intelligence-generated animation as an 'insult to life itself,' echoing the sentiments of Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. The director made the remarks in an interview with Decider while promoting his Netflix film 'Pinocchio,' a hand-crafted stop-motion movie that stands in stark contrast to machine-generated animation.
'I consume and love art made by humans,' del Toro said. 'I am completely moved by that. And I am not interested in illustrations made by machines and the extrapolation of information.' He added that AI 'can interpolate information but it can never draw. It can never capture a feeling or a countenance or the softness of a human face.'
Del Toro referenced a 2016 documentary in which Miyazaki reacted with disgust to an AI-generated animation of a zombie-like creature. 'Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is whatsoever,' Miyazaki said at the time. 'I am utterly disgusted. I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself.'
Miyazaki's latest film, 'How Do You Live,' is set for release in Japan on July 14, 2023, marking his first directorial effort since 2013's 'The Wind Rises.' Del Toro's 'Pinocchio' is currently streaming on Netflix.
