Another day, another shade to the use of AI in films. And this time, it is from Project Hail Mary producer Rachel O’Connor. Artificial intelligence has quickly become one of Hollywood’s biggest talking points, with filmmakers and studios weighing what the technology could mean for the future of moviemaking.

While AI can potentially make certain aspects of production faster and cheaper, the debate has increasingly moved beyond what the technology can do to what might be missing when humans are taken out of the creative process.

For Project Hail Mary producer Rachel O’Connor, that distinction matters—and she believes there is something uniquely valuable about movies made by people.

Rachel O’Connor, whose producing credits include Project Hail Mary and Spider-Man, recently addressed the growing role of AI in filmmaking at The Wrap's The Grill 2026, acknowledging that the technology could potentially bring down the cost of making movies.

“There’s something lost in not having a movie made by people,” O’Connor said, emphasizing that human-made films remain the goal. 

Her comments come as Hollywood continues to grapple with where AI belongs in the filmmaking process and how much of the creative work should remain in human hands. That distinction is particularly interesting in the cases of films like Project Hail Mary and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, both of which have been produced by O'Connor and needed a highly collaborative production involving actors, directors, writers, producers, and visual-effects teams. 

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As AI continues to seep into almost every area of our lives, O’Connor is not the only major filmmaker pushing back against the idea of letting technology replace the human touch. Guillermo del Toro, known for the world of whimsy he creates, also does not shy away from shading this bane disguised as a boon.

Rachel O’Connor’s comments echo a sentiment recently expressed by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, who has been particularly vocal about keeping humanity at the center of artistic creation. While discussing AI and his approach to art with IGN, del Toro described the connection between human beings and artistic expression as something deeply fundamental.

“The discourse between the soul of mankind and the arts is a very sacred discourse. It's molecularly important to stay human,” the Frankenstein filmmaker said.

For del Toro, the issue is not simply whether AI can generate convincing images or imitate an artist's style. His concern centers on the human impulse behind art—the memories, emotions, and experiences that give creative work its identity.

That puts his perspective closely alongside O’Connor’s argument: AI may offer filmmakers new tools and potentially cheaper ways to create, but the human element remains something neither filmmaker appears eager to lose.

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What do you think about Rachel O’Connor’s views on AI? Let us know in the comments.