Marvel has been criticized for using artificial intelligence to generate artwork in the opening titles of new series.
“Secret Invasion,” the latest entry in the company’s cinematic universe, premiered at disney+ Wednesday.
As is customary for many series, episodes begin with the names of the cast and crew, set against comic book-style artwork.
But the post-credits scene of “Secret Invasion” wasn’t the work of a real artist, it was made by artificial intelligence.
Executive producer Ali Selim defended the decision, claiming it fit the show’s theme of an invasion of Earth by shape-shifting aliens called Skrulls.
“That’s part of the equation when we approach AI vendors,” he told Polygon.
“It’s just from the shapeshifting Skrull world identity, you know? Who did this? Who is this?”
“Slap” the artist
MiracleDisney-owned “The Movie” hired visual effects company Method Studios to create the title sequence.
Some viewers were quick to voice their opposition to the use of AI because they feared it could have a huge impact on employment across the creative industries.
Director Stephen Ford described it as “a slap in the face to every single artist Disney has ever worked with”.
He said it “overshadows the hard work everyone puts into this show”.
“Hire Talented Artists”
Independent artist Kelly McKernan tweeted that the use of artificial intelligence was “absolutely disgusting” and said it could be “a paying job for many artists”.
Another viewer said that Disney and Marvel have “endless cash” and should “hire any endlessly talented artist” instead of using artificial intelligence.
it appears after Disney announces 7,000 layoffs to cut costs.
CEO Bob Iger revealed plans to save $5.5 billion to boost Disney+ profitability. The streaming service lost more than $1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2022 due to declining subscriptions.
Sky News has contacted Disney for comment on the backlash over the use of artificial intelligence in Secret Invasion.
The show, which stars Samuel L. Jackson, Olivia Colman and Emilia Clarke, received mixed reviews from critics.
People worry about AI’s impact on creative jobs
Artists have been among the most vocal about concerns about artificial intelligence since the technology began to become more powerful and accessible.
cartoonist dave mckean told Sky News earlier this year Tools like Midjourney and DALL-E 2 allow users to generate realistic artwork using simple prompts, which could “redefine creativity.”
He added: “Never has there been such a huge gap between the total lack of effort, work or anything and the enormous complexity of the results.”
Musicians also expressed concern The internet is flooded with AI-generated trackswhich included cloned voices from The Weeknd and Drake, while actors like motion-capture guru Andy Serkis warned against the technology May lead to unnecessary real cast.