John Wick Director Says AI Is A Real Concern For Hollywood Writers

John Wick director Chad Stahelski has commented on the ongoing Hollywood writers' strike, saying there is a genuine concern that AI could become problematic.

"I think the writers are addressing something that people dismiss too easily, which is the AI influence," Stahelski said on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

Stahelski said some people are asking, "Why are we talking about AI?," adding that the technology is too rudimentary at this point to actually write a good movie. But Stahelski believes the writers' union is right to take a stand because of what could happen in the future.

"I think the writers are doing the absolute right thing right now by bringing this up," he said.

For art, AI has already allowed people to make "impressive" creations, Stahelski said, and the next step could be AI impacting human writers. That said, Stahelski admitted that AI is not at a stage to take over the world just yet, adding that he's not concerned for his own job in the world of live-action filmmaking. But for animated projects and video game cinematics, Stahelski said AI could be a major disruptor and people expressing concerns should be listened to.

Stahelski went on to say that there might come a time in the future where AI-created content becomes popular, but some people will still intentionally seek out "human-made" content.

The Hollywood writers' strike began on May 2 and is now stretching into its second month with no end in sight. In addition to concerns around AI, the WGA is asking for better pay and improved residual terms, among other things.

As for Stahelski, he's coming off John Wick 4 and is lined up to direct a movie based on the video game Ghost of Tsushima.