Hollywood remains fascinated by artificial intelligence as a subject. Whether it should become part of the creative process is proving far more contentious.

Guillermo del Toro used San Diego Comic-Con to draw a clearer line around the 3D conversion of Pan's Labyrinth.

"Obviously I said, 'Absolutely no goddamn AI,'" del Toro told the Hall H audience.

The contrast was difficult to miss. Some of Comic-Con's most prominent genre announcements, including Neuromancer, Blade Runner 2099, Dark Matter and Lanterns, examined artificial intelligence, surveillance, hacking and human-machine relationships.

Hollywood remains comfortable using AI as a dramatic subject. It is far less settled about using it to make the work.

Guillermo Del Toro Rejects AI In ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ 3D Conversion

Del Toro appeared on Friday for a panel marking the 20th anniversary of Pan's Labyrinth, alongside Doug Jones, Ivana Baquero and cinematographer Guillermo Navarro. The film returns to theaters October 9 in 4K, 3D and HDR. The conversion was completed by hand.

His concern extends beyond protecting individual positions. What is being defended, he said, is a lineage of art. Cutting one generation off from learning its craft also separates the medium from the knowledge accumulated before it.

Christopher Nolan has expressed a related, although slightly more qualified, position. He accepts that AI may provide........

© Forbes