Laika CEO Travis Knight says generative AI does not fit the studio

In short: Laika CEO and Wildwood director Travis Knight says generative AI goes against what the stop-motion studio is about.

What happened

Travis Knight, the CEO of Laika and the director of the upcoming film Wildwood, spoke to The Verge ahead of the movie’s premiere on October 23. He said generative AI is “antithetical to everything that we are at this studio.”

Generative AI is software that can create new images, text, or video after learning from large amounts of existing material (like a super fast autocomplete that can also draw pictures). Knight said Laika is not against technology in general. He pointed out that tools like pencils, paintbrushes, 3D printers, and computer workstations are all forms of technology, and they matter because artists use them.

Wildwood is a stop-motion film, which means animators move physical puppets a tiny bit, take a photo, then repeat that thousands of times so it looks like the puppets are moving. According to The Verge, the movie took five years to complete and used more than 230 puppets, including 36 versions of the main character, Prue. A team of 49 animators worked on the puppets, and more than 1,000 artists contributed overall.

Why it matters

The comments show a growing split in filmmaking. Some creators see AI as a way to work faster, while others argue it removes the human choices that make art feel personal. For audiences, this debate can shape what movies look like, how they are made, and who gets paid for the work.

Source: The Verge AI