Jodie Foster: ‘F1’ Was “Made By AI”

Director Joseph Kosinski famously went to painstaking lengths to film the “F1” stunts and races using practical effects and specially designed camera rigs. The result was a $633 million-grossing box-office hit and a Best Picture nominee.

Here’s Jodie Foster, interviewed at the Aspen Institute, never one to shy away from an opinionated take, discussing “F1” — but not with glowing praise. Instead, she claims it was “made by AI,” a dig at the Best Picture nominee’s script and acting.

I look at a movie like “F1” and I'm like, “F1” was made by AI. That movie's like, was it wasn't it? I mean, the structure was exactly the structure that you would learn in school. The actors say the lines exactly the way it would be written if a computer was writing exactly what would be the right thing for that time. and they were able to dominate the technology to make something big and beautiful and potentially where a lot of the information comes from other places.

Now, whether Foster actually, truly believes that Kosinski’s film extensively used AI, I would hope not. I would think she’s using "made by AI" metaphorically to describe what she sees as an overly formulaic film, and not making a literal claim that AI was used in its production. Then again, who really knows.

“F1” delivered a high-octane spectacle. Its immersive racing sequences rank among the most thrilling ever captured on film, and it unapologetically embraced classic sports-movie tropes. Yes, the screenplay was not its biggest strength. I doubt producer Jerry Bruckheimer, or Kosinski, for that matter, used AI to generate the story structure or dialogue, but in this day and age, you just never know.

Hollywood is deeply paranoid about AI these days, and that anxiety isn't going away anytime soon. In the wake of the strikes, with generative AI now looming, it's becoming increasingly common for filmmakers and audiences alike to accuse movies of feeling "AI-generated"—whether there's any evidence of actual AI use or not. Expect more films to be labeled as algorithmic, formulaic, or "made by AI.”

Moviegoers turned out in force. “F1” even surpassed “Superman” at the summer box office, grossing $15 million more. As for its production budget, estimates vary widely, with some reports suggesting it may have reached $400 million. Still, with Apple valued at around $3 trillion, the price tag is likely not a major concern for Tim Cook. The film was such a success that a sequel is now being fast-tracked.