Hollywood Legend Martin Scorsese Embraces AI to ‘Enrich’ His Future Films: ‘We Have to Be Open’

Martin Scorsese built his reputation directing some of Hollywood’s most iconic films, from Raging Bull to Goodfellas. But now the legendary filmmaker says he is embracing a new technology that’s dividing Hollywood — artificial intelligence.

The Oscar-winning director, 83, has officially joined Black Forest Labs as an advisor, helping the tech firm develop its FLUX image-generation system.

In a post on their website on Tuesday, June 2, the company said the influential filmmaker would be “helping us shape visual intelligence as an advisor.”

“For 70 years, I’ve been creating my own storyboards. There’s always been this problem of how do you communicate what you see in your head to your cast and crew,” Scorsese explained in a statement that same day, per Entertainment Weekly. “There are some things you have to see and feel. I’m interested in the intersection of technology and storytelling, and seeing how that can push the bounds of creativity to create deeper and richer experiences for audiences.”

He went on to say this wasn’t the first time he was embracing new technology in his work, referencing 2011’s Hugo, which was shot in 3D, and the de-aging work done on the actors in 2019’s The Irishman.

“Remember, cinema is a young medium, only around 125 years old, so we have to be open to how it can evolve,” he pointed out. “Now with this tool, I can share what I’m visualizing more clearly and efficiently to my creative team — the production designer, art designer, and cinematographer — for them to build on to enrich cinematic intelligence.”

“I recently tested this out on a scene and the ability to visualize and immediately share the storyboard was creatively freeing,” added the Departed director. “During the pre-production process, time costs money, and this allowed us to move faster without sacrificing quality or craft.”

Scorsese is currently working on an adaptation of Peter Cameron‘s gothic mystery novel What Happens at Night. The film will star Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence.

While supporters see AI as the next step in filmmaking, critics remain concerned about its impact on creative jobs and artistic expression.