AI in film: Will artificial intelligence turn the creative industry upside down – and why now is the time to act

Estonian film and multimedia creators are recognized worldwide for their distinctive, aesthetic, and socially sensitive work that resonates on many levels. At first glance, it may seem out of place to bring artificial intelligence into this conversation – and we’ve heard this hesitation from some creators in the industry. However, at Tehnopol, after working with technology companies for over two decades, we clearly see that the rise and widespread adoption of AI bears many similarities to the industrial revolution that began centuries ago.

AI is already impacting every sector, including the creative industries – from filmmaking to multimedia. What was once a theoretical vision of the future has now become an everyday tool: a part of the creative process, a visualizer, a script writer, a mood-setter, a provider of context. In fact, this article was also created partly with the help of AI-based tools, which helped us reach a coherent result faster.

On March 12, Tehnopol Startup Incubator’s film and multimedia accelerator IDA Hub hosted a panel discussion on the impact of AI on the film industry. The panel brought together global-minded experts: technology and visual solutions creator Kaspar Kallas, designer and innovation expert Markko Karu, and filmmaker and experimenter Mikk Rand. The discussion was moderated by Marko Russiver.

The conversation touched on everything from the opportunities technology offers to the potential downsides of AI and the emotional dimensions of creativity – from hope and fear to joy. How does AI affect the creative process? What are the risks and the possibilities? And perhaps most importantly – how can creators harness it for their benefit, and should they even try? These were the questions that the panel explored in depth, and if you were there in person, you know how engaging it was. We highly recommend joining us next time. Below is a summary of the key insights and experiences that stayed with us.

AI as a mirror of creativity, not a replacement

One of the main points of discussion was that AI does not replace creativity – it reflects it in its own way. It’s like a cracked mirror: it doesn’t show a direct reflection, but rather how the world might respond to your idea. Many creators hesitate to begin because they fear making mistakes. AI offers a way to experiment boldly – without criticism, time constraints, or resource concerns. It helps shape ideas, offers new perspectives quickly, and allows the creative process to move forward.

The impact is especially significant when it comes to the technical aspects of production. For example, producers often need to create multiple versions of the same story for different markets and investors – a time-consuming and repetitive task. AI can automate this, simplifying the process and freeing up space for bigger ideas. It’s not just about convenience – it’s about enabling the creation of more meaningful content.

Technology must help us connect emotionally

AI can generate the voices of famous actors, produce photorealistic images, and help write scripts. But ultimately, the quality of content is determined by whether the audience believes in it and feels emotionally connected. If the entire creative process is automated, we risk losing something vital – the feeling, the mood, the depth of the message, the authenticity. That’s why some creators consciously choose to work manually, preserving realism and uniqueness.

AI has brought ideas closer to people. Tools that were once only accessible to major studios are now available to everyone through free or affordable programs like Midjourney, Runway, ChatGPT, Blender, and DaVinci. This shift empowers more people to create – but it also relies on learning from pre-existing data, leading to a certain level of standardization. In other words: content made by average people, for average people, about average topics. Algorithms respond to your average preferences, and eventually, we may all be watching the same series – just with different actors and slightly different stories. Shared cultural layers begin to fade. The peaks and depths disappear.

That’s why both the creators and users of this technology carry a great responsibility.

AI as a creative partner, not a competitor

Artificial intelligence will not replace the human creator – but the creator who knows how to use AI will be more competitive. It’s like a game of creative ping pong – the creator throws out an idea, and AI bounces it back in a new form, generating fresh perspectives. In the past, many ideas were left unrealized due to technical limitations. Now, it’s possible to move quickly from concept to execution.

But we must acknowledge that this back-and-forth happens within a closed, limited information system. When we collaborate only with AI, we build on existing data and descriptions.

Thus, the human role in creativity remains essential. AI can help with drafts, but the final judgement still lies with people. The success of a film, game, or story is determined by emotion, intuition, and audience response. Sometimes a scene stays in a film simply because someone in the audience smiled or cried – that’s the human element that no algorithm can replicate.

When we shared the panel’s insights with colleagues, we concluded that if Arvo Pärt’s first tintinnabuli-style composition had been evaluated by AI, it probably wouldn’t have known how to respond. Similarly, at the premiere of Tabula Rasa, the AI-created space would have echoed with silence. This is something we must consider when creating something new and unfamiliar. AI validates based on what already exists – it cannot yet create layers of meaning or recognize high culture. Still, despite this limitation, we need to talk about AI – and we need to do it now.

The time to act is now!

The creative sector needs exceptional people. It did hundreds of years ago, and it still does today. Integrating technology into creativity and learning how to use it effectively is something we must get used to. It simplifies processes, saves time and money, and brings access to knowledge that was previously time-consuming or even impossible to acquire.

At the end of the panel, a young founder developing AI technologies asked a powerful question: What kind of AI solution would you be willing to pay for? That question sparked the speakers’ imagination – and it’s a fitting comma at the end of this article. Because this is a topic we’ve only just begun to explore – a platform for future, thought-provoking discussions.

What kind of AI solution would you be willing to pay for? Perhaps the seed of the next direction lies in that very question.

The activities of the Tehnopol Startup Incubator’s film and multimedia accelerator are funded by the European Union.