A coalition of French creators’ organizations has issued an open letter opposing OpenAI’s reported plan to create and premiere a fully AI-generated animated feature at the Cannes Film Festival.
The groups – which include graphic artists, screenwriters, and animation directors – warn that while technology can aid creativity, “no technology can replace the sensitivity, vision, and commitment of human creators.” They argue that authorship must remain human-led, rooted in lived experience and culture, rather than an algorithm that scrapes content from the internet.
Citing industry fragility and past copyright controversies involving genAI companies, the letter emphasizes that the health and future of French animation depend on protecting human jobs and diverse artistic voices. They reject the idea that Cannes could be used “to legitimize the replacement of human creators.”
The letter, signed by organizations including ARP, SRF, SCA, SACD, Guilde des Scénaristes, U2R, and AGRAF, calls on public authorities, festivals, and audiences to defend ethical, human-centered creation. We’ve included the full text below:
Animation Creation threatened by Open AI
Paris, September 23, 2025- Organizations representing animation authors have expressed deep concern about OpenAI’s plans to create, produce, and dsitribute an animated film entirely generated by artificial intelligence.
Graphic designers, screenwriters, and animation directors were among the first to use technological innovations as a tool in their creative process. However, they are also the first to know that no technology can replace the sensitivity, vision, and commitment of human creators. The act of creation is a profoundly human endeavor, shaped by lived experiences, cultures, and genuine emotions — all elements beyond the reach of AI.
At a time when the animation industry is facing an unprecedented crisis, OpenAI’s initiative is especially worrying given that the company has previously shown disregard for copyright protections, having copied or used works by Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki, among others, without seeking permission.
French animated cinema, renowned worldwide for its artistic richness and high standards, relies on the talents of human creators and technicians, which must be preserved – as must the diversity of perspectives, the quality of the works, and the balance of our entire cultural ecosystem.
Furthermore, the Cannes Film Festival, cited by OpenAI as the intended platform for the film’s premiere, cannot bec o-opted for commercial promotion or used to legitimize the replacement of human creators.
We, the undersigned, call on public authorities, film festivals, and citizens to stand with us in defending creative freedom — a freedom that must remain responsible, ethical, and above all, deeply human. Every creative work must be led by human authors in key artistic roles.