Artificial Intelligence is not traditionally linked to the emotion-fuelled craft of creativity. Being perceived as a uniquely human skill, we love to think creativity remains the ultimate holy grail, impossible to replicate by a machine.

But the potential of AI has already been used in a creative capacity across the arts – writing song lyrics, applying painting styles – and lately now in cinema. Still, we hold onto to the belief that AI and data-driven processes ‘undoubtedly’ dampen the creative results and result in formulaic work.

For example, Warner Brothers has recently signed a deal with Cinelytic, whose smart technology can predict box office success before production even begins, and offers suggestions on the most profitable actors to use to boost popularity. But is repeating the same successful formula over and over again ever considered to be creative?

Looking at this topic from the perspective of filmmakers, let’s focus on the shades between black and white. What if AI was used to form a creative partnership where humans and machines work together, not against each other? Would it still spell doom for the future of cinema?