Does AI belong in creative spaces? The Brutalist sparks debate

By Marvellous Chukwukelu, February 18 2025—

As award season ramps up, the fact that one of the frontrunners this year – Brady Corbett’s ‘The Brutalist’ – utilized artificial intelligence for parts of the movie has sparked a backlash in online spaces and reignited a conversation on whether artificial intelligence (AI) has a place in the creative industry.

In an interview published on Jan. 11, Dávid Jancsó, the editor for ‘The Brutalist’ – a 215-minute historical saga that follows the life of a fictional Hungarian-Jewish architect, László Tóth, after he survives the Holocaust and moves to the United States – explains how the film’s post-production team utilized an artificial intelligence software called Respeecher to enhance certain aspects of the Hungarian dialogue in the movie. This move, he claims, was necessary due to the difficult nature of the Hungarian language and a desire to cut down on the time the film spent in post-production.

Why is this controversial? Many argue that using AI in post-production scenes undermines the creative work that the performers – Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones – have put into their work and is antithetical to the nature of the acting profession. However, Jancsó had a different opinion.

“We coached [Brody and Felicity Jones] and they did a fabulous job but we also wanted to perfect it so that not even locals will spot any difference.”

This is a point of view that movie director Brady Corbett shares, as evidenced in his official response to the backlash.

“The aim was to preserve the authenticity of Adrien and Felicity’s performances in another language, not to replace or alter them and done with the utmost respect for the craft.”

Although I can see why they made this decision, I disagree with their reasoning. While I acknowledge that certain accents can be particularly difficult to learn, learning them remains an intrinsic part of the acting profession that inadvertently serves as a barrier to entry. And while it sounds harsh, if the post-production on performance is so herculean that you don’t think you can do it in a reasonable timeframe, then you have either not given that performer enough time to prepare for that role, or they are simply not right for the role.

While there is still some gray area over the use of AI in voice modulation, ‘The Brutalist’ also extended their use of the technology to the visual effects in the film. In his interview, Jancsó also explains how the post-production team utilized AI to create drawings and buildings in the style attributed to Tóth – the movie’s fictional lead.

However, in an industry like filmmaking, which is still recovering from the effects of the pandemic and the SAG-AFTRA strike, the use of AI in the visual process is a slap in the face to the many talented visual effects editors who find themselves struggling to make a living in a historically difficult industry. It is also incredibly ironic that a film that explores the beauty in the innovations of the human mind can turn around and use non-human intelligence to try and bring that beauty to life.

In 2024, Coca-Cola decided to make its annual Christmas ad using AI, which only heightened fears that AI was putting the careers of creatives at risk. While the technology had primarily been used in a supporting role up to that point, the fact that such a significant company had chosen to eliminate the human aspect when it attempted to recreate one of its best-received holiday ads sent a chilling message to the industry: AI isn’t here to support, it is here to replace.

Yet, replacing human innovation is the one thing AI cannot do. The beauty in art – auditory, visual or written – comes from the fact that it is an exploration of the human mind. When we admire, discuss and reflect on its decisions, we pay homage to the people who have devoted their time and effort to creating the pieces we consume. We appreciate its imperfections, no matter how slight because we know they represent the human limitations of the people who created these pieces.

This article is a part of our Opinions section and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Gauntlet editorial board.