A strong and significant backlash has been brewing against the embattled studio Disney upon revelations that it employed AI to create the opening credits for its new Disney+ Marvel series Secret Invasion.
The backlash hit on Wednesday after video of the show’s intro went viral on social media, generating conversations about the future of artists in the industry that has since come to a standstill due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, AI being chief among their concerns. Take a look:
Marvel just used AI to create the opening intro for their new series: Secret Invasion.
Is the future of content creation here?ὄ
AI video generation is officially going mainsteam. pic.twitter.com/Xm79SErdxz
— AI Daily (@AlexAIDaily) June 21, 2023
Speaking with Polygon, the show’s executive producer, Ali Selim, said that they worked with Method Studios to create the AI sequence, which became a back-and-forth collaboration.
“We would talk to them about ideas and themes and words, and then the computer would go off and do something. And then we could change it a little bit by using words, and it would change.” Selim said, calling the opening intro “explorative and inevitable, and exciting, and different.”
Secret Invasion would mark the first time that AI has been used in mainstream television. Concept artist Jeff Simpson, who worked on the show, expressed his disgust on Twitter.
“Secret Invasion intro is AI generated. I’m devastated, I believe AI to be unethical, dangerous and designed solely to eliminate artists careers. Spent almost half a year working on this show and had a fantastic experience working with the most amazing people I ever met,” he tweeted. “I worked with the Vis Dev team on character design, props, keyframes for the show etc. and nothing to do with the intro which would have been done much later I assume—to clarify.”
Secret Invasion intro is AI generated. I’m devastated, I believe AI to be unethical, dangerous and designed solely to eliminate artists careers. Spent almost half a year working on this show and had a fantastic experience working with the most amazing people I ever met…
— Jeff Simpson (@jeffsimpsonkh) June 21, 2023
“Marvel/Disney have infinite money yet used AI for the Secret Invasion opening credits. A slap in the face to literally every artist Disney has ever worked with & something that overshadows the hard work everyone did on this show,” tweeted actor/director Stephen Ford.
Marvel/Disney have infinite money yet used AI for the Secret Invasion opening credits.
A slap in the face to literally every artist Disney has ever worked with & something that overshadows the hard work everyone did on this show.
Seriously @aliselim?pic.twitter.com/xEsT6MWt1x
— Stephen Ford (@StephenSeanFord) June 21, 2023
“The real secret invasion was shitty AI swooping in and replacing talented real artists,” tweeted actor Jard Gilman.
the real secret invasion was shitty AI swooping in and replacing talented real artists https://t.co/MqqTAKnJYd
— Jared Gilman (@realJaredGilman) June 21, 2023
“The Secret Invasion AI credits is such an insane miscalculation by Marvel in that it A) immediately created noxious buzz around the premiere of their new program, and B) only further validates AI concerns RIGHT as actors and directors are on the verge of striking because of it,” tweeted one Twitter user.
The Secret Invasion AI credits is such an insane miscalculation by Marvel in that it A) immediately created noxious buzz around the premiere of their new program, and B) only further validates AI concerns RIGHT as actors and directors are on the verge of striking because of it.
— Jonathan (@jonathanmb32) June 21, 2023
seeing that marvel used AI to make the intro for secret invasion is SO fucking disappointing. there’s no justifying that shit, this intro for the show is absolutely terrible pic.twitter.com/rpmkVbrsxy
— kaz/ember ☽☾ (@lqvekanej) June 21, 2023
No way in hell Marvel used AI to create the secret invasion intro, this is the worst intro for any TV show ever #SecretInvasion pic.twitter.com/XePW5a4CtB
— Fdm (@theSnyderKnight) June 21, 2023
they really used ai for secret invasion when THIS is a credits sequence in their portfolio. one of the best i’ve seen. this sequence is paramount to the world-building & makes the tva feel like a tangible, real place. how tf is ai an improvement on this?pic.twitter.com/Hxug7LMwFW
— shiv ✧ (@genvinz) June 21, 2023
Marvel used AI for the Secret Invasion intro. That *was* a paying job for many artists. Add this to the heap of industry-wide lost work replaced by plagiarism software, aka generative AI. Absolutely disgusting. pic.twitter.com/L2P8sCYtke
— Kelly McKernan 🏳️⚧️ (@Kelly_McKernan) June 21, 2023
I really loved the first episode of secret invasion but them using AI “art” for their intro is just wack
Do better Marvel pic.twitter.com/BCjOWA3xNt
— Okiro (@TheFirstOkiro) June 21, 2023
Paul Roland Bois joined Breitbart News in 2021. He also directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed on Tubi, Google Play, YouTube Movies, or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.