OpenArt CEO Says AI Won't Replace Film Sets Soon

Speaking at a Hollywood Reporter-backed summit in Canada, OpenArt's chief executive argued that generative video tools still fall short of replacing traditional, live-action film production.

At the Access Canada Summit this week, an event backed by The Hollywood Reporter, OpenArt CEO Coco Mao weighed in on how far generative AI has come toward reshaping filmmaking. Her core message, according to the report on her appearance, was one of tempered expectations: the technology is advancing quickly, but it isn't yet positioned to substitute for the crews, cameras, and physical production that make up traditional filmmaking. Mao's company, OpenArt, builds generative tools aimed at creators working with AI-driven visuals and video. Her presence at the summit places her among a growing group of AI tool-makers who are being asked to speak directly to entertainment industry audiences about what their products can and can't do — a sign that Hollywood insiders are paying closer attention to generative video as a potential production tool rather than a novelty. The framing of her comments, as characterized in the coverage, suggests a distinction between AI as a supplement to filmmaking workflows versus AI as an outright replacement for live production. That distinction has become a central talking point across the industry as generative video models improve in fidelity and controllability, even as questions remain about consistency, cost, and creative control compared to traditional shoots. The appearance underscores a broader pattern of AI executives using industry summits to manage expectations, acknowledging the pace of progress in generative video while pushing back on narratives that suggest wholesale disruption of film production is imminent.