AI CURATED HOT STORY · 11/10/2026
David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance, declared on the company's earnings call that artificial intelligence could surpass the 1990s CGI revolution and become "the biggest creative unlock in modern history." He positioned AI's core value as compressing production budgets and reducing investment risk rather than replacing human creators, emphasizing that handcrafted storytelling still commands a premium.
Citing The Terminator as an example, Ellison noted that producing the same shot volume now costs $60–70 million, up from $4 million, and AI could dramatically lower that barrier. He likened AI to how CGI once enabled classics, arguing that lower costs will allow more original narratives to get greenlit. Paramount stressed that AI is a tool for artists, not a substitute.
The remarks from a major Hollywood studio chief signal a shift from skepticism to active embrace of AI. If AI can indeed cut costs significantly, mid-budget original films and experimental storytelling could gain new opportunities, though concerns about over-reliance on technology and creative homogenization may also grow.
The line compares only sources observed throughout; gap hours are interpolated to keep the trend continuous.