Steven Spielberg Draws a Hard Line on AI: "There Is No Substitute for the Soul"

It's about to be a hot Spielberg summer as we near the release of Disclosure Day , his new alien thriller that's set to take the world by storm.

Everyone is happy the man I believe is the greatest living filmmaker has another huge release on its way into our eyeballs.

But the world of blockbuster filmmaking has changed so much since the Jaws director first became part of the cultural lexicon.

Everyone is talking about AI, not Spielberg's 2001 movie, but actual artificial intelligence and LLM models which have woven their way into every facet of Hollywood.

In a recent appearance on Michelle Obama’s podcast, IMO , the legendary director sat down to discuss his legacy, Disclosure Day , and the looming presence of AI in the entertainment industry.

Watch the full, wide-ranging interview with Steven Spielberg on the Michelle Obama YouTube Channel.

And let's dive in below.

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The Algorithm vs. The Soul

If you take one thing away from this chat, I think it should be Steven Spielberg's stance on AI in filmmaking.

I really think most people need to hear it as we enter this era of uncertainty.

“I don't believe there is any substitute for the soul. I don't think that's an algorithm that is inventible... don't tell me I don't have the right antagonist in this story, don't tell me how to write my dialogue, don't tell me where the camera has to go… If AI wants to help me find locations, that's great. Saves us some leg work… Use AI as a tool, but do not use AI as the final word on anything creative.”

For a filmmaker who has spent five decades pioneering the modern blockbuster, Spielberg's words are an adamant defense of the creative spark.

We know LLMs can spit out info back at us, but the reason to tell stories is personal. It's that human connection.

It's when our souls all convene on a story and raise it up.

For Spielberg, the idea of an AI taking a seat at the writer's table or telling a director where to place a camera is anathema to the craft.

Yeah, big word, but that's how passionate our guy is about the subject.

Filmmaking is inherently an act of communication between strangers sitting together in the dark. When those lights go down and the picture rolls, we share an emotional communion.

It's MURCH! Movie Church!

An algorithm cannot understand grief, nostalgia, or triumph. It doesn't know the little tick you added to them, or the phrase the uncle character says again and again that reminds you of your old boss.

It just...spits out stuff.

The Tool Chest

Crucially, Spielberg isn't a technophobe or a luddite. This is the man who pushed CGI to its absolute limits in 1993 to bring Jurassic Park to life. His distinction is clear: AI should be used for logistics, not artistry.

It's a tool to be used to optimize production schedules and save crews legwork. But not to replace people or emotions.

Allowing a machine to have the final word on character arcs, dialogue, pacing, or visual style is a recipe for disaster.

You have to trust your instincts there.

Spielberg argues that AI should be treated like just another tool in a production designer's or editor's large chest of tricks.

And that's it.

Spielberg's Advice to Emerging Creators

Another part of this video I liked was Spielberg really digging into emerging creators and offering them some advice.

And the main throughline of it was perseverance.

Instead of waiting for traditional doors to open or fearing that entry-level positions will evaporate, Spielberg urges the next generation to lean into the technology already in their pockets.

Build a crew of friends and shoot things, as we've seen from some of these YouTube filmmakers who have emerged.

Show that your voice can have a following and investors will take notice.

" You can't write anything until you have something to say," Spielberg noted. "It simply has to be important to you, and then you become somebody that comes from a place of passion."

So what are you passionate about?

Chase those stories.

Summing It All Up

As Hollywood continues its uneasy dance with AI, Spielberg’s advice serves as a North Star. Don't cede the creative arena to machines, and don't let the corporate promise of "efficiency" strip the heart out of your stories.

Tell the stories you believe in and that you're passionate about telling. Find the people who connect with those stories and try to make movies together.

This business has survived because it's all about connection.

It will continue to go on and give people the careers of their dreams if we lean into that.

Let me know what you think in the comments.