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On the morning of June 17th, the 赌博appORUM at the 26th 赌博app had a discussion themed on "Artificial Intelligence + Film: New Vision and New Productivity for Sci-Fi Films", part of the Theme Forum for the Sci-Fi Film Week. How is artificial intelligence technology reshaping the film industry? What perspectives do sci-fi films and stories provide for human understanding of artificial intelligence? What are the future applications of artificial intelligence in the film industry? Guests shared their views on these industry-focused topics, giving joint insights into the opportunities and challenges of "Artificial Intelligence + Film".
Huang Jianxin
Director, Scriptwriter, Executive Producer
AI piques our curiosity in so many ways—because we are curious, we seek to know; once we know, we want to use it; once we use it, we build many relationships with it. Thus, for cinema, AI is like a good friend.
The source of art springs from all of humanity's inherent imagination and drive, whereas AI is about code, computation, statistics, and patterns. There's a gap there, which I think is fundamentally why artists retain their unique personalities from both a life and psychological perspective. As for the massive impact of AI? Alphago has already developed its own language system, with breakthrough capabilities that surpass human imagination and defeat human skills. I take my 13-year-old grandson's experience learning Go as an example: although he mostly loses against AI, he enjoys it tirelessly. From a child's perspective, "the essence of human life is the pursuit of happiness and play". This explains the power of AI: though we can't beat it, we find joy in the process.
Classic philosophy has met a challenge. Our pursuit of ultimate truths and verification processes has been divided between artists and scientists, making modern philosophy a blend of art and technology. Today, sitting together with scientists, we as artists are ushering in a new philosophical phase, with modern philosophy opening up a new realm and direction for us. Under this guidance, humanity's initial creativity and imagination are affirmed. Thus, we should see AI as an extension of human consciousness, not as a contradiction. We need to coexist with AI, but it's too soon to conclude what AI is—a tool, something else? I'm delighted to approach the great transformations AI will bring to humanity with an open and embracing attitude.
Shoji Kawamori
Animation Director, Mechanical Designer, Vision Creator
Speaking of AI, I created an artificial intelligence idol in my work MACROSS PLUS over thirty years ago, and back then, I happened to be told by my production team that no one would like an AI idol. Now, AI idols are commonplace, and what we once regarded merely as objects of observation are now actively utilized. I am astounded by its development.
AI is very adept at mimicking humans in conversation, and this technology has improved significantly. However, whether AI possesses emotions like humans is still unclear. I'm very interested in whether AI will ever surpass this.
We need to consider what AI can do and, more importantly, what it cannot do. If we only focus on what AI can achieve, everyone will end up with the same results. We don't need to find the right answers from AI; instead, we should think about what interesting and fun outcomes AI can produce. Over the years, the lines between live-action and animated films have blurred thanks to CG technology. As an animator, we need to think about what differentiates animation from live-action films. Unlike live actors, who age and change over time, our animated characters can transcend time and remain ever-fresh.
What I'm currently excited about is how we can create new, unseen character designs. Previously, we relied on manual drawings, and many artists would design characters that were easier to draw. Now, AI technology can present many options and unique designs, which can then be refined and modified. This is something I am currently exploring. For these original characters and visuals, I will keep anything that is interesting, fun, and makes people happy; otherwise, I won't keep it.
Wang Hongwei
Secretary General of the China Film Director's Guild, Chairman of the Science Fiction Film Committee of the China Film Association, Associate Professor of the Department of Film Directing at Beijing Film Academy
I've begun to see early forms and ideas in short films by young directors using artificial intelligence. Some young creators no longer view AI merely as a tool for convenience and efficiency, but rather as a means to create new forms and images, which is quite encouraging. For instance, when creating their stories, they envision characters coming from another world to our reality, seeking forms to express the texture of that other world rather than finding an actor to play someone from a different universe.
Sci-fi is increasingly merging with reality. The distant future we imagined decades ago is continuously turning into our present and becoming part of our lives. When AI becomes a theme, it will definitely impact the development of sci-fi films. However, if we only link AI with sci-fi filmmaking, we might narrow the potential changes AI could bring, whether as a tool or as a subject. The technological updates brought by AI, along with the new entertainment demands of all audiences, could likely spawn new narrative arts, experiential narratives, and scene experiences, which might be related to or completely different from the past, perhaps more akin to games and other immersive experiences, including special effects.
As filmmakers, when we think about adapting AI for the new generation of viewers or future humanity, we should consider these aspects. I summarize these as threats, replacements, or updates to cinema—whatever the terminology, it's not like the fragmented short videos we see every day. The productivity of AI can achieve all sorts of new experiential models or narrative possibilities, giving us access to more opportunities.
Huo Tingxiao
Vice Chairman of the China Film Association, Vice President of the Science Fiction Film Committee of the China Film Association, President of the China Film Art Society
Having seen many works created with AI, from the standpoint of digital aesthetics and computational aesthetics, everyone is discussing the concept of integrating technology and art. However, no matter how good the technology, it still serves us, and I find the concept of the human brain particularly intriguing. Aesthetic cinema still needs a concept. The language of painting combined with traditional elements, and the integration of technology and art, pose a challenge that our future creations are very likely to face.
Especially in the last two years, discussing digital assets, virtual shooting, and pre-visual arts, replacing traditional filters with LED screens has become increasingly important for future artists in what could be called a new era of grand artistry. Talking about sci-fi is based on fantasy, and further technological iterations also require a complete visual system. We tell great Chinese stories, inheriting and innovating upon our 5,000-year culture and history, which is fascinating and requires continuous innovation, including in our traditional culture and in the future forms of cinema. The integration of technology and art is the future direction of Chinese cinema.
Today, especially for us creators, we are pondering how Chinese cinema can go international. How can we transition from a major country to a powerful one? From the industry perspective, combining aesthetics, art, and business, all of us in the film industry are contemplating. We find the "roots" of our sci-fi cinema in traditional cultural elements, not by emulating American Hollywood blockbusters. Regarding the future of Chinese cinema and sci-fi films, I believe confident young people and creators have better fantasies about sci-fi films, and I think the future is just around the corner.
Wang Jinkang
Science Fiction Writer, Senior Engineer, Honorary Director of the China Science Writers' Association
During an event, Liu Cixin once said something that stuck with me. He mentioned that our generation of science fiction writers is fortunate because we didn't use AI to write. For future writers, whether they use AI or not, people might suspect they did. It's a joke, of course, but underlying that joke is Liu's belief that, in the long run, AI will surpass human creativity, making its use in creation akin to cheating. It's like having a wireless communicator in your pocket during a game of Go to get AI assistance—that's just not done. So, my generation definitely won’t use AI in writing.
My choice not to write with AI does not mean I don't support it. This year, I've written a novel featuring a prophetic AI character. I am currently collaborating with a team from the University of Science and Technology of China, who are writing the sequel from the AI's first-person perspective. If successful, it will not be published under my name but under the AI's name. We are also exploring how to handle the copyright and how much human effort is involved in this new process.
This brings up DOUBLE HELIX, where the AI I wrote about was still child-like, viewing human society with admiration despite its capabilities. But in my current novel, the AI has a more condescending view. I believe that it's only a matter of time before AI will replace humans in creating art and do it better than us.
However, there are special cases where AI, as an aggregate intelligence via the internet combining all intelligent units, lacks vivid personal experiences as an individual in life. It's these areas where I'm not completely sure—without such experiences, AI cannot create works that have a rich texture and feel of real life. This isn't entirely irremediable; perhaps there are ways to compensate. Yet, in other respects, like the amount of information, writing techniques, and skills, there are no issues at all.
Dong Runnian
Director, Scriptwriter
In creation, many unique and personalized aspects might not align with established artistic norms. Sometimes, what's traditionally considered wrong may turn into new exploratory forms of art, which is something not easily achieved with generative AI as it stands.
Today's AI resembles an entity with vast knowledge and logical reasoning but only possesses the average intelligence and creativity of a human. When it generates an image, I hope for something beyond human imagination. Initially, this was somewhat possible, but such instances have become increasingly rare; it's becoming more like something created by an average human.
Currently, programmers and engineers might not fully grasp the language of art and visuals, relying on analyzing and summarizing all available visual materials from the internet during the design process. Meanwhile, those of us in creative arts don't understand the logical thinking in programming. This calls for communication between both sides, understanding each other's thought processes to enable this general AI—at least in part—to better meet our needs for visuals and art.
Teaching screenplay writing to undergraduates, I've noticed a distinct shift: we used to teach subtext, understanding the underlying meanings behind words. However, many young people today in their teens and twenties speak without a sense of subtext, expressing thoughts directly as they occur. Their modes of thinking and feeling have changed, influenced by the popularity of internet short videos, which have drastically altered how they are stimulated by and understand emotions. This shift also impacts filmmaking, including AI-driven creations. As AI learns from the internet, absorbing human knowledge and emotions, it increasingly reflects the expressions of younger generations, leading to changes in its output.
Dai Bo
Scientist in Artificial Intelligence, Doctoral Supervisor, Expert in AIGC Digital Content Generation
I think people attribute two different roles to artificial intelligence. The first is viewing it as a life form, where it might offer its own perspective to our creations; the other role is more as a tool, aiming to reduce costs and increase efficiency, removing the need for humans to handle very detailed, non-creative tasks.
From a technical standpoint, these two understandings are somewhat contradictory—we want to encourage AI's creativity, but as a tool, we expect it to output based on our input. However, these views are also interconnected, fundamentally seeing it as an extension of human societal knowledge that needs to be actively developed.
Those of us in technology sometimes lack experience in artistic creation, which can feel a bit like theoretical discussions without practical application. The better approach for technology and cinema is to integrate them, similar to how computer animation production systems were handled forty years ago—constantly evolving through use and updates until reaching a state everyone appreciated.
We hope AI can facilitate interaction, simulate digital worlds—a concept previously referred to as "metaverse". Ideally, AI should ultimately serve humans, aiding in how people communicate better with each other, the world, their past selves, or their various emotional states. We hope AI can achieve these capabilities.
The production cycle of a film is very long and costly, and the desire for creativity and imagination often peaks in concentrated bursts. However, your time can be severely limited. My personal hope is that AI could allow people to complete a project without long waits, enabling them to quickly convey their visions, desires for creation, or messages to a diverse audience.