George Miller: “AI has made filmmaking much more equitable”
The legendary ‘Mad Max’ director is to chair the jury at Australia’s first festival for AI-created films, stating that “the wave is coming and it’s impossible to stop.”
SYDNEY, Australia – Amidst disputes and strikes caused by the spread of artificial intelligence in the film industry, one of the world’s most respected directors, George Miller, has voiced resolute support for the new technology. The creator of ‘Mad Max’ not only stated that AI is the future of cinema but will also chair the jury of Australia’s first festival for films created by artificial intelligence – Omni 1.0 AI.
“AI is perhaps the most dynamically developing tool for creating moving images,” Miller told The Guardian. “As a director, I have always focused on these tools. AI is here to stay and change the world.”
This statement comes as the industry is still recovering from last year’s strikes, and Australian authorities are being criticized for underestimating AI’s impact on creative professions. However, Miller sees the new technology not as a threat but as a historic opportunity. He compares the current moment to the Renaissance when the advent of oil paints gave artists unprecedented freedom.
“This shift caused controversy: some argued that true artists should be able to work on a canvas without any edits, while others welcomed the new flexibility,” the director says. “A similar debate erupted in the mid-19th century with the advent of photography. Art must evolve… Both changed, but both endured.”
Miller considers AI’s main advantage to be its democratizing force. The technology breaks down the financial and technical barriers that have long prevented many creators from realizing their ideas.
“It will make creating screen stories accessible to everyone who has a calling for it,” he asserts. “I know children not yet in their teens who are using AI. They don’t need to raise money. They are making films… It is much more equitable.”
As head of the Omni AI festival jury, Miller stated that he would look not for technical perfection in the submissions but for an emotional response. “Some films are forgotten as soon as you drive into the parking lot. Others stay with you for life and become part of your perception of the world.”
Thus, Miller’s position is not one of blind enthusiasm but of balanced acceptance of the inevitable. He acknowledges the fundamental changes AI brings to the concept of creative authorship but believes that the essence of art—the ability to touch hearts—will remain a human prerogative, regardless of the tools used.