AI Filmmaking – Powered by Human Creativity

The recent Wall Street Journal article, “We Made a Film With AI. You’ll Be Blown Away—and Freaked Out” by Joanna Stern and Jarrard Cole, offers a fascinating look into the current state of AI video production—and it’s more advanced than many would expect. Using cutting-edge tools like Runway AI and Google’s Veo, the authors created an entire short film without using a traditional camera. That alone is a stunning reminder of how quickly AI is transforming creative fields.

Although AI video generation has advanced remarkably, creating visuals previously unimaginable, what is clear to me in the article is something else. AI hasn’t replaced human creativity. If anything, it’s made the role of the human creator even more essential.

The article highlights that the process of making a three-minute film required over 1,000 AI-generated clips, each involving precise, labor-intensive prompting and editing. Creating consistency across scenes, directing visual tone, and refining characters involved far more than  clicking a button—it demanded vision, persistence, and storytelling skill. All of which still remain - human skills. 

This point is critical for business leaders to understand. AI is not a hands-off miracle. It’s a tool—an incredibly powerful one—that can expand what teams can create, reduce production costs, and shorten timelines. But it still requires human direction, judgment, and taste. Without that, you end up with what the creators refer to as “slop”—technically impressive, but creatively hollow.

Here are three key business lessons to take from the article:

1. AI is a force multiplier, not a magic wand.
   You don’t just input a script and get a perfect result. Businesses must invest time in training their teams to work with AI, refining prompts, tuning outputs, and incorporating domain expertise to unlock real value.
   

2. Human oversight remains essential.
   The need for quality control, creative direction, and critical thinking is greater than ever. The more powerful the AI, the more important it is to have knowledgeable humans steering the ship.
   

3. Speed and accessibility are transforming who can create.
   Tools like Veo and Runway can be used to create high-end content. Small businesses, startups, and individual creators now have access to capabilities that were once reserved for big studios. This levels the playing field—but only for those who learn how to use the tools wisely.
   

Leaders who learn how to integrate AI into their workflows—not as a replacement, but as a force multiplier—will have a distinct competitive edge. The future isn’t about AI versus humans. It’s about humans who know how to wield AI well.

📖 Read the full story: WSJ Article
🎥 Watch the AI-generated film: “My Robot & Me”
✍️ Article by Joanna Stern and Jarrard Cole, Wall Street Journal, May 28, 2025.