The social media uproar around Marvel’s Secret Invasion is already happening, but not for the reasons the studio may have anticipated. Director Ali Selim admitted to Polygon that the opening titles were produced by artificial intelligence, which has caused some controversy for the series, which aired on Wednesday with just one episode. Selim stated that he believed the use of AI for the opening titles, created by Method Studios, resonated with the concepts of the program.
“When we reached out to the AI vendors, that was part of it — it just came right out of the shape-shifting, Skrull world identity, you know? Who did this? Who is this?” he said, adding that he doesn’t “really understand” how the artificial intelligence works, though it piqued his interest.
Of the process, he explained: “We would talk to them about ideas and themes and words, and then the computer would go off and do something. And then we could change it a little bit by using words, and it would change.”
The Backlash From AI Revolution
Given that employing AI apparently reduced the need for graphic designers and animators to create the opening titles, the discovery is drawing some criticism from viewers on social media.
The WGA is presently on strike as a result of unsuccessful negotiations with the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which contained language about safeguarding authors against the use of AI in the writing process. This makes the argument particularly pertinent at this moment. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to replace employees has become a hot topic in many talks regarding the strike over the last eight weeks.
On social media, some people have made the authors’ difficulties clear, while others have simply opted to stop watching the show.