Hollywood’s AI Dilemma: When Technology Steals the Spotlight
- Conan O’Brien’s opening joke at the 2025 Oscars highlighted Hollywood’s uneasy relationship with AI, as films like The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez faced backlash for using the technology.
- Ethical controversies erupted when AI tools altered actors’ voices, blurring lines between authenticity and innovation—and sparking fears over job displacement.
- The Motion Picture Academy, under pressure, may soon mandate AI disclosure in award submissions, forcing the industry to confront its tech-infused future.
When Conan O’Brien took the stage to host the 2025 Oscars, he wasted no time addressing the elephant in the room: artificial intelligence. “We did not use AI to make this show,” he quipped during his opening monologue, drawing laughter—and knowing glances—from an audience acutely aware of the year’s most divisive debate. His punchline was a thinly veiled nod to The Brutalist, a triple-Oscar-winning film that had ignited fierce controversy just weeks earlier for its use of AI. As Hollywood’s brightest stars clapped politely, the tension was palpable: AI isn’t just a tool anymore—it’s a co-star.
The Films That Fueled the Fire
The Brutalist, which won Best Actor (Adrien Brody), Cinematography, and Original Score, became a lightning rod when film editor Dávid Jancsó revealed that Respeecher, an AI voice generator, had been used to tweak Brody’s and Felicity Jones’ Hungarian dialogue. Director Brady Corbet defended the choice, insisting the AI merely “refined certain vowels and letters for accuracy” rather than enhancing performances. But critics weren’t buying it. Social media erupted with accusations of cheating, with many arguing the film should have been barred from awards contention.
The backlash didn’t stop there. Emilia Pérez, another multi-Oscar winner, faced scrutiny after re-recording mixer Cyril Holtz admitted Respeecher was used to expand actress Karla Sofía Gascón’s vocal range and blend her singing with French artist Camille. While Holtz framed the AI as a “creative collaborator,” skeptics called it a slippery slope. “If we let AI ‘enhance’ performances today, what’s left for human artists tomorrow?” tweeted one industry insider.
A Industry at a Crossroads
The uproar reflects a broader crisis brewing since the 2023 SAG and WGA strikes, when actors and writers rallied against studios to block AI from replacing jobs. The fear isn’t just about robots writing scripts or digital doubles stealing roles—it’s about the subtle erosion of creative ownership. As Respeecher and similar tools become Hollywood’s new normal, even minor AI interventions force uncomfortable questions: Who gets credit when a machine tweaks an actor’s accent? Does algorithmic “polish” dilute artistic authenticity?
For now, the Motion Picture Academy offers optional AI disclosure, but after The Brutalist controversy, insiders say mandatory reporting is on the table. “Transparency isn’t about stifling innovation,” argued one Academy member anonymously. “It’s about ensuring audiences—and voters—know what’s human.”
The Show Must Go On (But How?)
As Hollywood grapples with AI’s ethical maze, Conan’s joke serves as a reminder: Technology might refine vowels or harmonize vocals, but it can’t replicate the chaos, charm, and unpredictability of human creativity. Or can it? The industry’s next act hinges on balancing innovation with integrity—before AI writes the ending itself.
Whether the Academy’s potential rules will calm the storm or stifle progress remains unclear. But one thing is certain: At next year’s Oscars, AI won’t just be a punchline. It’ll be a protagonist.