At the 81st Venice Film Festival, in the Italian Pavilion, an event promoted by the MiC’s General Directorate for Cinema and Audiovisual Media and Cinecittà, during the panel Mic: Creativity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, the centrality of man’s creativity over machine was reaffirmed, while noting the potential of using AI in the process of filmmaking.
The balancing of the two instances was at the heart of the meeting, held at the Hotel Excelsior on the Venice Lido, in the presence of the Undersecretary for Culture Lucia Borgonzoni, who stated ‘It is around these principles that the work we are carrying out at the Ministry is developing, and which has found its first innovative application in the film and audiovisual sector, starting with the introduction of new rules in the public financing schemes dedicated to the sector, such as the tax credit. I am referring to the rule providing that costs related to the use of artificial intelligence related to creative and artistic performances are excluded from eligible costs, except for the use of artificial intelligence attributable to special effects under the heading ‘principal actors’. Remaining on the subject of tax credit production, I am also thinking of the obligation to declare in the opening or closing credits the parts of the work, or the processing phases of the work, for which artificial intelligence was used, or of the fact that it is established that companies are required to include in contracts signed with authors, performers and authors of works a clause allowing the latter not to consent to the exploitation of their work or their image or professional services by artificial intelligence systems. Measures that confirm,’ the Senator concludes, ‘how fundamental it is for us to reaffirm with every instrument at our disposal the centrality of the works and the intellectual and creative work of our artists.
Therefore, not only limiting AI to protect the ingenuity and talent of artists, a signal that comes from the new decree law on tax credit for productions, but also making its use transparent, allowing any content produced partially or completely by artificial intelligence to be clearly recognisable to users.
Nicola Borrelli, Director of the General Directorate for Cinema and Audiovisual of the MiC also reiterated: ‘Artificial intelligence is undoubtedly the next frontier of cinema and in some cases is already an integral part of the production process. Its use brings a great opportunity for the system but is not without risks. In the reform of the public contribution system, in particular the tax credit, we have worked to limit these risks, with a view to maximum transparency’.
The panel was also attended as speakers by Giacomo Lasorella, President of AGCOM, Salvatore Sica, President of the Permanent Advisory Committee for Copyright, Salvo Nastasi, President of SIAE, Francesco Rutelli, President of ANICA, Gianluca Curti, President of CNA Audiovisual, Francesco Martinotti, President of ANAC Autori Cinema, producer Riccardo Tozzi and Damien Viel, Banijay Group Chief Digital and Marketing Officer.
Photo Credits: Pexels
