Martin Scorsese becomes the latest, and most unlikely, Hollywood voice for AI

Martin Scorsese, one of cinema's most respected traditionalists, has started using AI in his filmmaking process. Before you panic about Goodfellas getting an AI remake, he's only using it for storyboarding.

Storyboarding is the pre-production phase where directors sketch out how scenes will look before shooting begins. It's traditionally done by hand or with basic illustration software. For a director known for meticulous planning and classic techniques, this is a notable shift.

This matters because it shows how even skeptics are finding practical uses for AI in creative work. Scorsese isn't using it to replace human creativity or generate footage. He's using it as a planning tool, which is exactly the kind of measured adoption that could make AI more palatable in creative industries.

The film industry has been split on AI, with writers and actors striking partly over AI concerns in 2023. Scorsese's approach suggests a middle path: use the tech where it genuinely saves time without replacing human artistry.

For anyone using AI tools at work, this is a useful template. The technology works best when it handles tedious prep work, not when it tries to replace the core creative or strategic thinking that makes your work valuable.