Hollywood divided as Scorsese takes on AI advisor role at tech firm

• Boots Riley accused Scorsese of cashing in on his reputation for AI
• Scorsese joined Black Forest Labs as an advisor on visual intelligence
• Riley shared rough storyboards to argue AI tools are unnecessary for filmmakers

Martin Scorsese's decision to align himself with the world of artificial intelligence has sparked a fierce response within the film industry, with fellow director Boots Riley leading the charge against the Oscar winner'slatest move.

Riley targets Scorsese's motives

Riley was vocal in his criticism after Black Forest Labs announced on Tuesday that Scorsese had taken on an advisory role at the AI company, tasked with helping to shape its "visual intelligence."

The I Love Boosters writer and director accused Scorsese of leveraging his industry standing to steer Hollywood towards generative AI.

Taking to X, Riley did not hold back, offering a blunt assessment of what he believed lay behind the 83-year-old's decision.

"My guess: at 83, they gave his family a gang of money (they throw tens of millions left and right) he wanted the income stream [for] them and feels like 'AI' will fall on its face anyway, so he doesn't give a fuck," he wrote on X. "If that's not the case, extra fuck him. Separately, go see I Love Boosters today."

In a separate post, Riley took a more sardonic tone, writing: "Like- yeah the problem with filmmaking is 'we didn't have the tools to be creative before this.'"

He then went further, clarifying that his anger was not directed at individuals who personally choose to use AI, but at the broader influence Scorsese carries.

"To be clear, my vitriol is not about him using it, I'd likely simply sneer at that in private. It's about him using his cache [to] promote this and attempt to push the industry toward it. They need him. One Trillion spent on generative AI and it's not saving anyone or changing film yet," said Riley.

Riley uses own storyboards to make his point

To reinforce his argument, Riley shared examples of what he described as his "TERRIBLY DRAWN storyboards" for I Love Boosters, which is now in cinemas. He used them to demonstrate that Black Forest Labs' Flux storyboard tool was entirely unnecessary for filmmakers.

"Later- we did have an amazing artist re-do them, but planned through most of prep using these. It worked," he wrote. "You don't have to use AI to do this shit."

Scorsese defends his position

In his own statement issued alongside the Tuesday announcement, Scorsese explained the practical appeal of the technology and situated it within a broader view of cinema's evolution.

"For 70 years, I've been creating my own storyboards," he said. "There's always been this problem of how do you communicate what you see in your head to your cast and crew.

"There are some things you have to see and feel. 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."

Scorsese went on to draw comparisons with his previous embrace of emerging technologies, including his use of 3D techniques on Hugo and de-ageing technology on The Irishman.

"Remember, cinema is a young medium, only around 125 years old, so we have to be open to how it can evolve. I utilized 3D with Hugo and de-aging technology for The Irishman.

"Now, with this tool, I can share what I'm visualizing more clearly and efficiently to my creative team—the production designer, art designer, and cinematographer—for them to build on to enrich cinematic intelligence.

"I recently tested this out on a scene and the ability to visualize and immediately share the storyboard was creatively freeing. During the pre-production process, time costs money, and this allowed us to move faster without sacrificing quality or craft."

AI debate rages across the industry

The row between Riley and Scorsese reflects the wider, increasingly fractious debate over AI's role in Hollywood. SAG-AFTRA has endorsed the Trump administration's AI policy framework, which calls for congressional legislation covering parental controls, intellectual property rights protection, First Amendment protections, expanded AI workforce development, permission for data centres to generate their own power, and the removal of legal barriers that restrict AI innovation.

Adding further weight to the conversation, President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday establishing a voluntary framework under which AI companies would grant the government access to new models for a 30-day review period ahead of their public release.