In a scathing statement released Tuesday, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) denounced Martin Scorsese’s recent endorsement of generative artificial intelligence, calling it a betrayal of the collaborative spirit that underpins cinema.. The union, which represents art directors, graphic artists, illustrators, production designers, scenic artists, set designers and other specialists, warned that AI tools undermine the essential contributions of these professionals and rely on pootentially unlicensed training data.

IATSE’s Charge: AI Undermines Human Artists and Copyright Law

According to the union’s statement, generative AI systems are trained on vast datasets of copyrighted work, often scraped from the internet without the consent, credit or compensation of the original creators .. IATSE argued that suggesting human professionals can be replaced by AI is fundamentally at odds with the collaborative nature of filmmaking . As the union noted, the technology “relies on potentially stolen artistic works,” a claim that underscores the legal and ethical concerns surrounding AI training.

Scorsese’s FLUX Experiment Sparks Industry Debate

Reports revealed that the 83‑year‑old filmmaker used the FLUX image‑generation model during a storyboarding session, demonstrating how AI can produce visual concepts for scenes. The incident, highlighted by IATSE, has ignited a broader debate about the role of AI in creative processes, pitting technological innovation against concerns about intellectual property and the devaluation of human artistic labor. The union’s statement emphasized that implying human professionals can be replaced by AI, which relies on potentially stolen artistic works, is fundamentally at odds with the collaborative nature of filmmaking.

Who Stands to Lose? The Human Artists Behind the Lens

As AI continues to infiltrate the entertainment sector,unions and creative professionals are increasingly vocal about protecting their roles and ensuring that technological advancements do not come at the expense of artists’ rights and livelihoods. IATSE’s condemnation reflects a broader fear that AI could erode the livelihoods of thousands of behind‑the‑scenes workers who have traditionally relied on collaborative storytelling.

Unanswered Questions: Who Owns the AI‑Generated Content?

While the union has called out the use of potentially unlicensed training data, the legal ownership of AI‑generated images remains unclear. who holds the rights to a scene storyboard created by FLUX? And how will compensation be handled if a director uses AI to replace a human artist’s work? These questions linger as the industry grapples with the implications of generative AI.

According to IATSE, the union’s statement was issued in response to Scorsese’s public advocacy for AI in filmmaking. The union’s message underscores the tension between technological progress and the preservation of creative labor.