Christopher Nolan says AI skepticism is a healthy public reaction

Christopher Nolan is putting a blunt label on artificial intelligence at a moment when Hollywood is still sorting out how the technology fits into creative work. For investors watching AI move from software into entertainment, his comments point to a major adoption hurdle: public trust.

In an interview with Hugo Travers, who publishes on YouTube as HugoDécrypte, the Oscar-winning director compared AI to the Trojan horse, the Greek mythological trap that also features in Nolan’s new film, “The Odyssey.” Travers asked whether AI could be a tool people invite into daily life before it turns into something more dangerous.

Nolan laughed and said, “I think AI is a Trojan horse that everybody knows the Greeks are inside.” He later called it “a transparent horse” made of glass.

The director said he has been encouraged by the public’s wariness toward AI, particularly among younger people. He said he had not seen a technology move ahead so fast while also being so widely rejected by the public.

Nolan pointed to online reactions to AI-generated videos, saying people around his children’s age quickly identify them as “AI slop,” a dismissive term for low-quality AI-made media. He described that response as healthy skepticism.

Generative AI, meaning software that can create text, images, video, audio or code from prompts, has become a sensitive issue in film and television. The concern is not just whether the tools work, but who controls them, what data they were trained on, and whether they could replace or imitate human creative labor.

Nolan said technology can offer useful gifts, but should be met with scrutiny. He added that the motives of the people promoting new technology also deserve skepticism, because that is how society gets the best out of new tools rather than accepting them on faith.

Hollywood’s AI fight is already a labor issue. TechCrunch noted that AI was a major topic during the writers’ and actors’ strikes in 2023. The Directors Guild of America, where Nolan serves as president, also secured generative AI protections in its latest contract, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Nolan did not spell out a specific AI threat in the HugoDécrypte interview. His broader track record, though, is consistent with caution toward new technology in filmmaking. He has been known for avoiding smartphones and for his strong preference for shooting on film rather than digital formats.

That preference is also part of the business story around “The Odyssey.” TechCrunch reported that the film is the first feature shot entirely on Imax film and Imax cameras. Variety has reported that the movie is performing strongly at the box office.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Nolan rejected the label “technophobe” and instead called himself a “techno-skeptic.” He said he embraces new technology, but objects when it is sold at the expense of older systems that still work. In his view, the film industry came close to losing film as a format.

The debate around “The Odyssey” has also drawn attention outside filmmaking. Variety reported that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk posted angrily about the film’s nonwhite and transgender cast members.

Nolan’s comments add one of Hollywood’s most commercially powerful directors to a wider debate over AI’s role in culture. His position is not a rejection of technology outright. It is a warning that creative industries may resist AI tools when audiences and workers believe the sales pitch hides larger costs.

This story draws on original reporting from TechCrunch.