The legendary Tim Burton recently spoke with the Independent about many aspects of his eclectic career, but it seems the Beetlejuice director found the thought of AI replacing animators and directors to be particularly upsetting.
"They had AI do my versions of Disney characters!” the director told the Independent. “I can’t describe the feeling it gives you. It reminded me of when other cultures say, ‘Don’t take my picture because it is taking away your soul.’
Burton is referring to a Buzzfeed article that asked an AI image-generating program to apply Burton's distinctive visual style to Disney classics such as Sleeping Beauty, Pocahontas, and more.
While Burton admitted to the Independent that some of the artwork was actually “very good” there was still something very unnerving about the article.
Said Burton, “What it does is it sucks something from you. It takes something from your soul or psyche; that is very disturbing, especially if it has to do with you. It’s like a robot taking your humanity, your soul.”
It must be pretty unsettling to see a computer generate ideas that would be pretty close or identical to what you would spend hours or weeks creating at the push of a button. It would certainly be a blow to one's ego and have you questioning the validity of everything you've accomplished. And sadly, it seems as if such a reality is not far off.
While Burton is known for his Batman films starring Michael Keaton, not many know that he got his start working at Disney on films such as Tron, The Black Cauldron, and The Fox and the Hound.
In closing out the interview Burton looked back on his Disney days, where he was an animation studio peer alongside the likes of Brad Bird, John Musker, and John Lassiter.
"I guess it’s like Burbank, only worse... it’s like a family. I can look back and recognise the many, many positives of working there, and all the opportunities I’ve had. I can acknowledge each and every one of those very deeply, and very positively. Equally, on the other side, I can identify the negative, soul-destroying side. As in life, it’s a mixed bag."
It is conceivable that AI technology will grow increasingly more potent and advanced as it advances. This could inspire the development of ever more imaginative and realistic animations. However, it's crucial to keep in mind that AI is still just a tool, and humans must still make decisions about how to utilize it. AI will always require the direction and imagination of human animators since it is incapable of producing art on its own.