Martin Scorsese has drawn sharp criticism from industry professionals after revealing he has invested in and partnered with Black Forest Labs, a German artificial intelligence company specializing in text-to-image generation technology.
The acclaimed director, appointed as partner and adviser to the company in 2025, announced that he is using AI tools to create storyboards for his films. In a statement, Scorsese explained his reasoning: "I'm interested in the intersection of technology and storytelling, and seeing how that can push the bounds of creativity to create deeper and richer experiences for audiences."
He emphasized that cinema is still a young medium and should remain open to evolution. Scorsese noted that for seven decades he has been creating his own storyboards and has long struggled with how to effectively communicate his visual ideas to cast and crew members. "Now with this tool, I can share what I'm visualising more clearly and efficiently to my creative team," he said. He added that testing the technology on a scene proved "creatively freeing" and allowed faster movement through preproduction without sacrificing quality.
The announcement sparked immediate backlash from storyboard and concept artists. Karla Ortiz, a concept artist who worked on multiple Marvel films including Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame, responded angrily on social media, stating: "He throws every single storyboard artist he's ever worked with under the bus. To use his legacy and power for this is just so disgusting."
Samuel Deats, director of the animated series Castlevania, also criticized the partnership: "There is absolutely no reason to need AI built on the stolen work of millions of artists to storyboard your vision, have some damn pride and respect your peers."
The Art Directors Guild released a formal statement on social media condemning Scorsese's decision, accusing him of abandoning the human artists who have been instrumental throughout his career in creating his most iconic films. The guild represents art directors and production designers working across film, television, and other visual media.
Scorsese's move places him among a growing number of prominent filmmakers embracing AI technology. Director Steven Soderbergh used AI-generated sequences in his recent documentary John Lennon: The Last Interview, while Jurassic World Rebirth director Gareth Edwards has praised AI as helpful to his work. Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca film festival, defended screening Dreams of Violets, a fully AI-generated film about protesters in Iran.
The partnership reflects broader tensions in the entertainment industry over artificial intelligence's role in creative work, with concerns mounting about its impact on employment and artistic integrity among writers, actors, and visual artists.