Notícia

"On the brink of cinematic illiteracy", says Guillermo del Toro about AI

Por Equipe Editorial CifraNET · 18/06/2026

Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, 61, issued a stark warning about the risks of using artificial intelligence in artistic production and said he believes the technology is a threat to the future of cinema.

The filmmaker explained that the popularization of artificially generated images could compromise the public's ability to understand cinematic language.

During an event promoted by the British Film Institute (BFI), the director of "The Shape of Water", winner of the Oscar in 2018, stated that the world is going through a decisive period.

"We are on the brink of visual illiteracy. We are on the brink of cinematic illiteracy."

Del Toro declared that he sees AI as a form of "natural stupidity" and was unable to hide his disappointment with the increasingly constant use of the tool in the creative process, historically marked by subjectivity.

The director, who also has titles such as "Hellboy" and "Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro", added that the beauty of visual arts lies in their ability to provoke emotions.

"The pact between man and image is sacred, but we are living in a time when this is threatened. We are told that images can be generated by artificial means. The reason for an image's existence is not just to occupy space. It exists to connect us, to make us feel beauty."

Reflecting on his own career, the Hollywood veteran said he has entered a phase of "retribution", in which he plans to pass on knowledge to new generations. The filmmaker has collaborated with institutions such as the BFI on educational activities and courses on directors who helped shape the history of cinema, including Alfred Hitchcock.

"We are not guardians of the gates. We are the ones who keep the gates open so that more people can enter and leave the cinema church. I have been saved by images many times throughout my life."

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