Jodie Foster has labelled F1 as an ‘AI’ movie, arguing that the structure and dialogue of the Brad Pitt blockbuster feel as though they were generated by a computer.
Speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, the Oscar-winning actress and director used Joseph Kosinski’s sports drama to illustrate how some modern films appear to be completely generated.
While she was using the film as a conceptual example rather than literally claiming it was written by artificial intelligence, her comments have certainly sparked a fascinating debate about the creative state of Hollywood.
The discussion took place during a Tuesday session focused on who owns the future of the entertainment industry.
Sitting down with media executive and former Sony boss Michael Lynton, Foster explored the massive forces currently reshaping the film business, from changing audience habits to the impact of the pandemic and recent labour strikes.
When the conversation turned to the inevitable topic of artificial intelligence, the filmmaker questioned humanity’s long-term control over the technology, wondering if we can actually dominate it for longer than a couple of years.
When Lynton asked whether AI could truly replace human writers or actors, Foster pointed out that the industry is already using technology to swap faces, comparing it to what regular people can do on an iPhone, only heightened for “real fancy people”.
Elaborating on how this affects finished projects, she noted that many existing films feel entirely computer-generated.
“I don’t say this disparagingly, how could I? This movie went on to make millions of dollars but look at a movie like F1. I’m, like, F1 was made by AI,” Foster remarked to the live audience.
It is a striking critique given the high-profile cinematic pedigree behind the film.
F1 was actually nominated for four Academy Awards, including best picture, and walked away with the Oscar for best sound.
Director Joseph Kosinski penned the script alongside Oscar-nominated screenwriter Ehren Kruger, while the heavy-hitting production team included Jerry Bruckheimer, Brad Pitt, and formula one champion Lewis Hamilton.
Furthermore, the production team has previously gone on the record to explain that they intentionally relied on practical effects as much as possible, using digital magic primarily to ensure safety on the track.
Visual effects supervisor Ryan Tudhope revealed that his team replaced real cars or added background vehicles digitally to make audiences feel embedded in the race.
He explained that some stunts were simply too risky to perform with the main vehicles, so a stunt driver would use a smaller F3 car instead, which the effects team would later replace with their signature APXGP car.
