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Soderbergh Clarifies AI Use in Lennon Documentary Ahead of Cannes Premiere

The director says the film uses visible, VFX‑style AI for thematic moments, not a lifelike recreation.

Overview

  • The documentary, built around John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s final interview at The Dakota, is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
  • In a new interview, Steven Soderbergh says he used generative AI like traditional visual effects and not to fool viewers into thinking new footage or audio exists.
  • He rejects the idea of “bringing John Lennon back to life” and says any AI imagery in the film is meant to read as artificial.
  • Soderbergh says Lennon and Ono were strikingly open in the recorded conversation, so the film leans on archival audio and visuals over stylized inserts.
  • He says he felt a moral duty to Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and the audience, and he adds that Sean told him his father would have wanted to experiment with new technology.