A24 entered a multiyear research partnership with Google DeepMind in a deal reportedly worth $75 million, sparking debates among filmmakers and fans over artificial intelligence’s growing role in independent cinema.
The announcement comes just days after A24 reportedly passed on director Luca Guadagnino’s AI-focused drama Artificial, alongside Netflix, Focus Features, and Warner Bros.’ Clockwork.
A24 has also drawn attention because investor Josh Kushner’s Thrive Capital, an A24 backer, holds a board seat tied to OpenAI. The timing has led some observers to question whether the studio’s hesitation was ever about AI itself, but rather the subject matter surrounding it.
The collaboration was first revealed in a blog post by Google DeepMind Vice President of Product Eli Collins, who described it as a research partnership.
Scott Belsky, who oversees the studio’s research and development division, A24 Labs, also emphasized that the partnership is intended to explore technology that expands creative possibilities while keeping filmmakers in control of the process.
“There are better uses of storytelling tech to discover, ones that preserve creative control and support creative risk-taking,” Belsky wrote on X.
Google has not publicly confirmed the financial value of the agreement, but The Wall Street Journal reported that DeepMind is committing $75 million to the collaboration. The deal is non-exclusive, allowing both companies to pursue similar partnerships elsewhere.
Reports also indicate that A24 Labs had already been developing an AI-powered storyboarding tool before the agreement was finalized, raising fresh questions about where filmmakers draw the line between creative assistance and automation.
“These workflows are TBD, but excited for our Labs team to work w/ DeepMind team in this research partnership,” Belsky added.
AI Adoption Continues to Spread Across Hollywood
A24 joins a growing list of entertainment companies embracing AI-powered production tools, although each has adopted a different strategy.
Martin Scorsese has partnered with Black Forest Labs to generate storyboards using its FLUX model. Ben Affleck’s AI company, InterPositive, developed technology that trains AI models using a production’s own footage to assist with editing, a platform Netflix reportedly acquired in a deal worth up to $600 million.
Lionsgate has taken an equity stake in Runway, using AI not only to improve production workflows but also to develop new short-form series and original intellectual property from its existing catalog. Meanwhile, Amazon has launched its GenAI Creators’ Fund to directly support AI-assisted productions.
Compared with those initiatives, A24’s reported storyboard prototype appears relatively limited in scope, although similar experiments elsewhere in the industry have since expanded significantly.
Fan Backlash Highlights Concerns Over A24’s Identity
A24 and Google’s partnership has proven especially controversial due to the studio’s reputation as one of independent cinema’s strongest creative voices. The company built its name on acclaimed films, including Moonlight, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Uncut Gems, Hereditary, and most recently, Backrooms.
Fan comments expressed broader concerns, arguing that although existing productions may be protected, future work created by independent filmmakers could potentially be used to train AI systems. The fans also included that the partnership had permanently damaged their view of the studio.
Responding to the criticism, Belsky told The Wall Street Journal that the new tools “won’t look anything like the prompted generation type of AI that people feel uncomfortable with.”
A24 communications chief Shin also said the partnership is intended to ensure creators help shape future filmmaking tools rather than simply adapting to technology developed without their input, echoing Collins’ statement that the collaboration aims to ensure “the tools of the future are shaped by the creators who use them.”
The debate has been further complicated by comments from Backrooms director Kane Parsons, whose film is currently driving A24’s biggest box office success.
Weeks before the partnership was announced, Parsons said he would eliminate generative AI entirely if possible, stating, “Creatively, I get no enjoyment from using those tools. It defeats the purpose entirely for me.”
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