The Sunday Daily: Hollywood’s A.I. Moment
Podcast: The Daily
Host: Michael Barbaro (with Brooks Barnes, Alyssa Wilkinson)
Date: January 18, 2026
Overview
This episode delves into Hollywood’s urgent reckoning with artificial intelligence (AI)—from the rise of fully AI-generated content and characters to the creative and ethical dilemmas that follow. Anchored by in-depth reporting and criticism, it unpacks both industry anxiety and the exhilarating frontier: AI’s ability to democratize creativity, remake classics, and disrupt everything from labor to audience trust.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. What’s Actually New About A.I. in Hollywood?
(03:39–08:31)
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Old vs. New Use of Tech:
- Hollywood has used computer technology (like CGI and digital de-aging) for years, but the jump to “generative A.I.” represents a paradigm shift:
- Non-generative A.I.: Assists editors, cleans up audio, de-ages actors.
- Generative A.I.: Can create entirely new content (video, voice, performances) from training data, not just enhance existing footage.
- Brooks Barnes:
- “The new part, and the controversial part is generative AI tools that scrape vast amounts of information and then use that to create new content.” [04:56]
- Hollywood has used computer technology (like CGI and digital de-aging) for years, but the jump to “generative A.I.” represents a paradigm shift:
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Real-world Example:
- Amazon’s House of David used A.I. to generate visually spectacular scenes that would have blown the budget if shot traditionally.
- “All of this was done with AI…once they got access to AI now they can do this big epic thing.” [05:55]
- Amazon’s House of David used A.I. to generate visually spectacular scenes that would have blown the budget if shot traditionally.
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Notable Quote:
- “We're not really used to those creations being created by...computers.” – Michael Barbaro [06:38]
- “This is fully created by an AI tool.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [07:02]
2. Where Is A.I. Already Showing Up?
(07:08–08:31)
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Social Media:
- AI-generated videos are pervasive on platforms like Instagram and often go unnoticed.
- Humorous anecdote:
- “My husband...came to me and said, ‘Isn't this little old lady cute?’...That’s an AI video.” – Brooks Barnes [07:22–07:40]
-
Advertising:
- Major brands (e.g., Coca-Cola) have started using AI to create commercials—sometimes met with backlash for being “soulless.”
- “People really saw it as soulless and...digital slop...” – Brooks Barnes [08:12]
- Major brands (e.g., Coca-Cola) have started using AI to create commercials—sometimes met with backlash for being “soulless.”
3. How Did AI Gain a Foothold in Hollywood Despite Initial Resistance?
(08:31–12:51)
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Industry Turnaround:
- Initial efforts focused on banning or restricting AI in contracts (led by unions, artists, actors).
- Over time, curiosity and technological momentum prevailed—especially among directors described as “gearheads.”
- “Directors are really interested in what this kind of technology can do.” – Brooks Barnes [09:14]
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Hollywood’s DNA:
- The intertwining of art and technology is longstanding: color, sound, cameras, digital film—all transformative.
- “It's an art form that is married to technology...has been driven by the development of some new technology.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [09:50]
- The intertwining of art and technology is longstanding: color, sound, cameras, digital film—all transformative.
4. Labor, Jobs & Pathways: Who’s Losing?
(10:40–12:51)
- Middle-Class Impact:
- Many jobs (extras, VFX, dubbing) are at risk, threatening the entry points and viability for much of Hollywood’s workforce.
- “Half of the Screen Actors Guild members have done background work...Those kinds of jobs start to go away.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [11:45]
- “Entire professions...start getting really scary for people.” – Brooks Barnes [12:36]
- Many jobs (extras, VFX, dubbing) are at risk, threatening the entry points and viability for much of Hollywood’s workforce.
5. Audience Trust, “Truth”, and the Problem of AI in Documentaries
(12:51–16:35)
- Erosion of Trust:
- Generative A.I. is speeding up “archival” footage creation for documentaries, sometimes blurring the line between real and fabricated.
- “We assume when we watch a documentary that the things we’re looking at actually happened...If we're looking at archival video...the old stuff happened.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [13:24]
- Growing calls within the documentary community to require on-screen disclosure when A.I. is used.
- Eg: Synthetic voices for deceased subjects (e.g., Anthony Bourdain) [15:11]
- Fictional Films: Should audiences be notified if an actor’s performance is enhanced or created by A.I.?
- “Does the viewer have the right to know that Adrien Brody's accent in The Brutalist was enhanced?” – Brooks Barnes [15:54]
- Generative A.I. is speeding up “archival” footage creation for documentaries, sometimes blurring the line between real and fabricated.
6. Creative Potential: Bright Spots & New Frontiers
(19:14–26:04)
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Disney’s Groundbreaking Deal with OpenAI [19:14–22:30]:
- Disney will let the public use A.I. (OpenAI’s Sora) to make 30-second movies starring its IP, in a clear shift from strict control to managed engagement.
- “No company is more concerned with how to keep up with what kids want. Children...like to remix things...” – Brooks Barnes [21:55]
- Disney introduces “guardrails”—e.g., banning adult content (Cinderella, Buzz Lightyear, etc.)
- Disney will let the public use A.I. (OpenAI’s Sora) to make 30-second movies starring its IP, in a clear shift from strict control to managed engagement.
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Democratization vs. Loss of Craft:
- Alyssa Wilkinson sees both positives and drawbacks:
- “Elsa is no longer some distant figure on screen, but...someone that we can literally like, help us do the dishes.” – Michael Barbaro [19:57]
- “If [kids] can make videos with Elsa, then the people who made Elsa...their work is, you know, it's not the same.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [23:44]
- “I think what they've basically said is we believe that what we create is content, not art.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [24:53]
- Alyssa Wilkinson sees both positives and drawbacks:
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Creative Remix Culture:
- Concern over fair compensation and respect for original creators
7. Bold New Experiences: The Wizard of Oz at Sphere
(26:04–31:05)
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Massive Immersive Venue:
- The Las Vegas Sphere combines extreme screen real estate, 4D effects (snow, flying apples), and A.I.–reimagined classic films.
- AI “upscaled” The Wizard of Oz, added background characters, and filled out scenes to fit the new medium.
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Aesthetic Results, Emotional Reactions:
- Alyssa Wilkinson’s review: AI can enhance cinematic awe, but results can be off-putting (e.g., “dead-eyed” Munchkins).
- “I actually went in to see it expecting to hate it entirely...the AI tools did not pull off what they were hoping for.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [29:00]
- When creators are involved, A.I. can enrich the experience; when not, the risk of violating artistic integrity looms.
- “Can you imagine taking E.T. or Jaws or a Spielberg movie and saying, ‘You won't be involved, Mr. Spielberg, we're going to change everything’?” – Brooks Barnes [30:49]
- Alyssa Wilkinson’s review: AI can enhance cinematic awe, but results can be off-putting (e.g., “dead-eyed” Munchkins).
8. The Big Picture: What Changes, What Doesn’t?
(31:36–35:11)
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AI as a Tool, Not a Platform:
- “A.I. is not a platform. Right. It's a tool. It's a tool to accomplish certain kinds of tasks.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [32:23]
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Risks:
- AI could shrink the art form by removing “the human” and deepening Hollywood’s risk-averse tendencies.
- “To take human out of an art form, I think is inevitably going to shrink the art form.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [32:37]
- “AI tools make it more possible, not less, to continue to only turn out the same material...slightly remixed over and over.” [33:40]
- AI could shrink the art form by removing “the human” and deepening Hollywood’s risk-averse tendencies.
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Possible Upsides:
- If AI reduces cost, studios might experiment more creatively.
- “If the cost of a movie goes down, they are more willing to let it be a little more unusual. Not all the time, but sometimes.” – Brooks Barnes [35:07]
- If AI reduces cost, studios might experiment more creatively.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “We're awash in A.I. generative content in Hollywood... this invasion has begun.” – Michael Barbaro [08:31]
- “There are whole categories of jobs that are under direct threat. For example, the dubbing business.” – Brooks Barnes [12:13]
- “The push in the documentary world is to... disclose it on screen so that the viewer knows.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [14:44]
- “I think what they've basically said is we believe that what we create is content, not art. And to me, that seems like the end point of all of this.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [24:53]
- “It's the democratization of the art form... but it will make it less possible for people to have those things be seen.” – Alyssa Wilkinson [33:20]
- “If the cost of a movie goes down, they are more willing to let it be a little more unusual. Not all the time, but sometimes.” – Brooks Barnes [35:07]
Important Timestamps
- 03:39 – What’s new: Generative vs. non-generative AI explained
- 05:06 – Example: House of David uses AI for epic Biblical scenes
- 07:08 – Millions seeing AI video content—often without noticing
- 08:31 – Hollywood’s initial opposition, steady adoption
- 10:40 – Labor and class implications of AI
- 12:51 – Erosion of documentary “truth” and A.I.-created performances
- 19:14 – Disney’s deal with OpenAI, user-made AI movies
- 23:44 – The tension between democratization and the threat to craftspeople
- 26:04 – The Wizard of Oz at Sphere: immersive, AI-augmented spectacle and mixed reviews
- 31:36 – Parallel to the Internet disruption, limits of the comparison
- 35:07 – Will AI actually embolden creativity?
Closing Thoughts: Looking Ahead
(36:35–39:21)
- Future of Human Creativity:
- Both Brooks Barnes and Alyssa Wilkinson end on a note of cautious optimism—anticipating 2026 films that wrestle with these very issues (Toy Story 5, The Bride) and re-imagine old properties through new lenses, human and artificial alike.
Contributors:
- Host: Michael Barbaro
- Guests: Brooks Barnes (NYT Hollywood reporter), Alyssa Wilkinson (film critic)
For listeners or readers seeking a lucid, critical overview of how A.I. is transforming—sometimes unsettling, sometimes enriching—the business and art of Hollywood, this episode is a must.
