George Washington Biopic Slammed for Reportedly Using AI by Viewers and Critics

[Image Credit: Angel Studios / Wonder Project]

The upcoming war drama Young Washington is facing criticism for reportedly using artificial intelligence. Releasing nationwide on July 3, the patriotic film from Angel Studios and Wonder Project portrays the early life of George Washington (William Franklyn-Miller) as he learns from his experiences in the French and Indian War before becoming the first president of the United States. However, the biopic has been accused by viewers and critics of generating battle scenes that allegedly utilize AI in ways that are noticeable and immersion-breaking. This comes amid an increasingly heated debate in the entertainment industry over the use of artificial intelligence in replacing CGI artists, writers, and other moviemaking occupations.

Young Washington embroiled in controversy for using artificial intelligence

A review of Young Washington from Robert Kojder on Flickering Myth lambasts the biopic for “unmistakable, hideous generative AI” and “AI-generated imagery in war sequences.” He writes further, “It also bears repeating again (and this goes for every film I find out or notice with my own eyes) that there is obvious generative AI here, sinking what little immersion there is.” Another critic, Brian Orndorf on Blu-Ray, is not as clear on whether AI was used but was still left unimpressed by the CGI in his review: “Battle scenes are hindered by iffy CGI (which looks like AI at times) and limited scope, making the film’s few forays into conflict underwhelming.”

A handful of scenes in the movie that are in question were initially identified by user @KKriegeBlog on X (formerly Twitter), a self-described historian of the American Continental Army, who believes that “early clips of its Fort Necessity battle sequence on Facebook” use artificial intelligence. He writes, “I am pretty sure, from the way that the French are depicted in a couple of clips, the lighting, the movement, etc., that they are using AI.” The post shares several images of a “beardy fudd with a percussion cap,” a soldier’s look that “can’t decide if it is 1050 or 1750,” and an odd “left-handed musket.”

While the film will make its theatrical debut during the Independence Day holiday weekend, it premiered earlier in June at the Tribeca Festival and has had an advance screening in cinemas. However, several users have panned Young Washington on Instagram for being a part of AMC’s Screen Unseen promotion, which allows viewers to watch a mystery movie before its release. One user posts, “Imagine this being the only way to trick people to go watch an AI movie because it’s gonna flop,” while another writes, “Too bad it was made with AI.” Another commenter is similarly repulsed: “A movie credits people as ‘ai artists’ … no thank you.”

On that front, user @NationofEagles on X has shared an alleged screenshot of the rolling end credits for Young Washington, after watching the film through the AMC program, that identifies one AI producer, four AI artists, and one role for “AI Utility.” He notes in a separate comment that he waited until the credits to confirm his suspicions that artificial intelligence was used because “the AI generated moments stuck out to me watching the movie.”

The backlash against filmmakers for using artificial intelligence has become progressively pronounced over the past few months. Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh addressed his inclusion of AI in several films, like The Christophers and the documentary John Lennon: The Last Interview. While he acknowledged the criticisms against him, he said AI technology allowed him to create imagery that would have been more expensive for visual effects houses to create. “I don’t think it’s the solution to everything,” he notes, “and I don’t think it’s the death of everything.”

Not even legendary director Martin Scorsese has been able to escape retaliation for his support of using AI. He received a strongly worded response from the Art Directors Guild that accused the filmmaker for “turning his back on the human artists who throughout his career have helped him create his most memorable works.”

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