Even Martin Scorsese Chooses Artificial Intelligence: Here's How He Will Use It in His Films

Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese has become the latest, and perhaps most surprising, voice from Hollywood in favor of artificial intelligence. According to the New York Times, the renowned director has signed an agreement as a partner and consultant for Black Forest Labs, a startup specializing in AI-generated images.

However, the collaboration comes with an important clarification: Scorsese will use the technology exclusively for the creation of storyboards, a fundamental tool in film preparation. In a statement to the U.S. newspaper, the director explained that he has personally created his own storyboards for about seventy years. According to him, the new system allows for a much faster and more efficient way to communicate his creative vision to cinematographers and set designers.

Black Forest Labs is a company with about 70 employees based in Freiburg, Germany, the closest city to the famous Black Forest after which the company is named. Although far from the traditional tech hubs of Silicon Valley, the startup has gained a prominent position in the field of artificial intelligence applied to images.

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The technology developed by the company powers integrated functionalities in platforms used by millions of people, including Adobe, Canva, Microsoft, and Meta. Investors have valued the company at $3.25 billion, including BroadLight Capital, co-founded by Rick Yorn, Scorsese's longtime manager and representative.

Black Forest Labs was founded by a team that had already worked on Stable Diffusion, one of the most well-known AI-based image generation systems. According to Wired, the company also rejected a partnership with xAI, Elon Musk's company, after concluding a previous collaboration related to the Grok image generator. The decision was reportedly influenced by concerns regarding safety measures and content control on the platform.

Scorsese's entry into the project might raise eyebrows in parts of the entertainment industry, despite the limited use of the technology. However, this choice represents yet another signal of openness towards artificial intelligence.