While The Electric State is all about the dangers of an over-reliance on technology, Joe Russo admits that they used AI when developing the movie. An adaptation of Simon Stålenhag’s renowned book, the movie stars Millie Bobby Brown (Michelle Greene), Chris Pratt (John Keats), Stanley Tucci (Ethan Skate), and Woody Norman (Christopher Greene), alongside other renowned actors. Russo directed alongside his brother and long-time Marvel Cinematic Universe directorial partner, Anthony Russo.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Joe Russo explained that generative AI was used to modulate some of the voices. He believes that AI is used regularly in Hollywood, but that it is not commonly accepted or admitted to because “people are afraid” and “don’t understand“. He believes that AI will soon become even more widely used, but that its generative state is currently perfect for creative works. Check out his quote below:
[The use of AI was] something any ten-year-old could do after watching a TikTok video. There’s a lot of finger-pointing and hyperbole because people are afraid. They don’t understand. But ultimately you’ll see AI used more significantly. Also, AI is in its generative state now, where it has, as we call them, hallucinations. You can’t do mission-critical work with something that hallucinates. That is a reason self-driving cars haven’t taken over, or why AI surgery is not taking place worldwide. But in its generative state, AI is best suited towards creativity.
What The AI Use Means For The Electric State
The Electric State Does Not Need More Bad Press
AI remains extremely controversial in any artistic medium, and Hollywood’s reaction has been no different. The Brutalist (2024), which won three Oscars at the 2025 Academy Awards, drew immense criticism for using AI to augment Polish pronunciations in dialogue. Emilia Pérez (2024) and Better Man (2024) similarly caused a stir within the industry. The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023 were also partly caused by a need for writers and actors to protect themselves against replacement by generative AI.
The WGA strike ran from May 2, 2023, to September 27, 2023. The SAG-AFTRA strike began during the WGA strike and continued from July 14, 2023, to November 9, 2023.
As such, using AI for a blockbuster movie with a $320 million budget is somewhat worrying. The voice modulations are not especially damaging, as that was previously done by computer systems regardless, but it does touch on a live wire in Hollywood. It is an issue that The Electric State does not need to contend with when it is already facing continued criticism for its story. ScreenRant‘s Alex Harrison already called it “harmful to movies” for its quality alone. Admitting to using a controversial technology for a critically panned movie could alienate viewers who may already be on the fence.
Our Take On The Electric State’s Usage Of AI
It Does Hurt The Movie’s Message
At its core, The Electric State is an attempt to compel viewers to look beyond technology, as it begs audiences to spend more time forging human connections and uplifting fellow living beings. It is an ironic message for a movie that uses AI even in subtle fashions, given that it could potentially take away jobs from actual human beings. Still, AI is currently in its infancy, and the movie’s AI efforts likely did not actually harm any workers. It is difficult to criticize such subtle usage, especially when other industries have been relying on AI for more significant projects.
Source: The Sunday Times
The Electric State
4/10
- Release Date
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March 14, 2025
- Writers
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Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely