Scripts for films and tv shows have always been a hot commodity among fans and aspiring creatives. So in 2023, when “Andor” creator Tony Gilroy said he’d release the scripts for the 1st season of the critically acclaimed series, people were ecstatic. Some time has passed, and Gilroy has changed his mind on the release, due to concerns about AI.
Giving us yet another shining example of why we can’t have nice things.
“I wanted to do it,” Gilroy told Collider. “We put it together. It’s really cool. I’ve seen it, I loved it. AI is the reason we’re not.” Gilroy’s goal with releasing the scripts was to showcase the impeccable writing on “Andor.” Writing that was so good, it did the impossible and won over most of the “Star Wars” fandom. The threat of his and others’ hard work being used to train AI is just too great.
“In the end, it would be 1,500 pages that came directly off this desk,” he adds. “I mean, terribly sadly, it’s just too much of an X-ray and too easily absorbed. Why help the f***ing robots any more than you can? So, it was an ego thing. It was vanity that makes you want to do it, and the downside is real. So, vanity loses.”
How Does AI Threaten “Andor“?
It’s no secret that many AI programs are fed endless streams of (typically stolen) creative work to learn from. Coupled with the fact some of these programs are being built to replace writers, artists, and performers you can see why its use is so controversial. The use of regulated AI in entertainment was a sticking point between the studios and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA during their recent historical strikes.
While studios did grant some protections, AI technology keeps creeping into the industry. Despite all of this, films like “Late Night With The Devil,” “Civil War,” and most recently Brady Corbet‘s “The Brutalist” have all come under fire for using it.
While it’s disappointing we won’t see some of the hard work behind the 1st season of “Andor,” we also can’t blame Gilroy for not wanting to feed the machine. If you want an example of an ethical use of AI, check out the “Star Trek” short “765874: Unification.” All likenesses and creative work that fed the AI behind that project were used with permission from the artist or their estate, and the results were phenomenal.
“Andor” season two will hit Disney+ on April 22nd, 2025. You can check out the trailer below:
