A24 Film ‘Heretic’ Features ‘No Generative AI’ Disclaimer

Upcoming A24 horror film “Heretic,” starring Hugh Grant, will carry a disclaimer in its credits stating that “no generative AI was used in the making of this film.”

According to an interview with the film’s co-director Bryan Woods in film industry trade publication Variety, the disclaimer was inserted because “it’s something people need to start talking about.”

Woods described generative artificial intelligence (AI) as, “an algorithm jumbling a bunch of shit together and then spitting it out as art.” He added that the technology is “not human and it’s borderline theft on some level.”

Woods expressed his fear that “we’re on the precipice of every job on planet Earth being replaced overnight,” adding that “it’s easy for it to happen in the arts. We’re in a business that is exceptionally greedy. Decisions are made for the bottom line and not for the good of the artistic process.”

The film industry is at odds over the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which can generate text, visuals and audio from prompts, based on libraries of existing data. Disney and Blumhouse are among the firms launching AI initiatives, while “Terminator” director James Cameron has joined the board of artificial intelligence firm Stability AI.

Others have misgivings; films such as “Late Night With the Devil” have faced a backlash from audiences over their use of AI, while actor Nicolas Cage has warned his peers that AI “wants to take your instrument.”

A24, said “Heretic” co-director Scott Beck, was “absolutely fine” with the inclusion of a no-AI disclaimer. He told Variety that the firm was an “artist-friendly” studio.

“That human touch that they have we absolutely respect, and we are in a time where I feel like creatively we’re in one of the big ethical battles, and the race is already ahead of us," he added.

Earlier this year, A24 distributed “Civil War,” which sparked controversy over its use of promotional materials created using generative AI. AGBO Studios, the production company behind the A24-distributed “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” recently announced the hire of a chief creative officer to develop the firm’s AI capabilities.

While Woods conceded that AI is “an amazing technology,” and that “beautiful things will come of it,” he also cautioned: “Now let’s bury it underground with nuclear warheads, cause it might kill us all.”

Edited by Stacy Elliott.