Martin Scorsese said that artificial intelligence simplifies the process of film directing.
The 83-year-old Oscar-winning director said creating images of landscapes helps him "convey cinematic ideas" faster than having direct conversations with film crews.
Scorsese, who became an advisor to Black Forest Labs, an artificial intelligence company, appeared in a video for the company, where he designed sets for films.
He said, "You can control the process of making a film through more than just words.".
«"This [AI-powered image-creation tool] conveys cinematic intelligence. It's not necessarily painting, it's not necessarily literature, it's cinema. That's the beauty of this tool.".
Scorsese added: "The ideal is to make a film in your room, create a picture, and then hand it over to 50, 100 crew members, and it comes to life.".
Spielberg: Artificial intelligence is "soulless".
In contrast, award-winning director Steven Spielberg insisted last week that "soulless" artificial intelligence should play a limited role in filmmaking.
In a podcast featuring former First Lady Michelle Obama and Mrs. Obama's brother, Craig Robinson, Spielberg said instruments should not have "the final say on anything creative.".
Expressing concern about its impact on the industry, he said: "I don't like AI when it takes a certain position or when there's an empty seat at the writer's table.".
«"I'm not ready for a replacement because I don't really believe in rationality. I don't believe that the soul can be replaced by anything.".
Last week, Spielberg insisted on a podcast that the role of artificial intelligence in filmmaking should be limited.
However, Scorsese urged the industry to be open to new tools, saying: "Remember, cinema is a young art form, it's only about 125 years old, so we have to be open to how it can evolve.".
«"For The Irishman, I used 3D modeling with Hugo and de-aging technology. Now, thanks to this tool, I can share my visualizations with my creative team more clearly and effectively.".
Complex scenes in his 1990 gangster film "Goodfellas" could have been shot faster using artificial intelligence tools, Scorsese said in a video for Black Forest Labs.
He said: "How we moved from one scene to the next [while filming Goodfellas] had to be thought out physically. Of course, that's still the case.".
«"But if you have a tool like this, you can figure it out much faster, save time in production, and reduce the workload on staff.".
He added: «You can’t talk about cinematography; you have to experience it while working.».
The technology is already being used in Hollywood films, and some industry stars have said that the introduction of AI into cinema is inevitable.
At the Cannes Film Festival last month, actress Demi Moore said, "Artificial intelligence is already here. So fighting it is fighting a losing battle.".
Demi Moore called the film industry's rejection of artificial intelligence "a battle we're going to lose" — Nilsson Barnard/Getty Images
However, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has banned awards for AI-generated acting and screenplays in an attempt to protect the film industry.
The media issue is critical in the union disputes that have led to long-running strikes by actors and writers.
Thierry Fremaux, longtime director of the Cannes Film Festival, said the technology poses "big risks" for the industry.
In 2019, Scorsese made headlines when he called the Marvel film series a "theme park ride" rather than a "movie theater.".
In an interview with Empire magazine, he said: "Honestly, the closest thing I can think of, despite how well they're made and the actors are doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks.".
«"This is not a movie in which people try to convey emotional and psychological experiences to another person.".
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