Cannes Programmers Debate AI Disclosure Ahead of 2026 Festival

Internal discussions reflect growing uncertainty over how to evaluate films that incorporate generative tools without clear industry standards

Gil Zetbase, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

As preparations for the 2026 Cannes Film Festival move into their final stages, a quieter conversation has been taking place among programmers and selection committees. According to reporting in Screen Daily, festival organizers have been discussing whether and how films should disclose the use of artificial intelligence during the submission process.

The issue is not yet formal policy, but it reflects a growing concern about how generative tools are being used in filmmaking. Independent productions in particular have begun incorporating AI into visual effects, post-production, and even certain creative processes, often without explicit acknowledgment. For a festival that positions itself as a curator of cinematic authorship, that raises new questions about transparency.

Cannes has historically avoided regulating production methods. Unlike guilds or studios, festivals operate as cultural gatekeepers rather than contractual authorities. Their role is to select and showcase films, not to dictate how they are made. That distinction has allowed filmmakers to experiment with new technologies without formal constraints.

Artificial intelligence complicates that position. The technology can be used in ways that range from minor technical assistance to significant creative contribution, and the line between those categories is not always clear. A film that uses AI for dialogue cleanup presents a different set of questions than one that generates entire visual sequences through prompts.

Programmers are wary of creating rigid rules that could discourage experimentation. At the same time, they recognize that a lack of transparency could lead to disputes, particularly if audiences or juries later learn that AI played a substantial role in a film’s creation. The challenge is finding a framework that acknowledges the technology without turning festivals into enforcement bodies.

The debate has been influenced by recent controversies, including the discussion surrounding AI use in The Brutalist and the broader industry conversation about disclosure. While those debates have largely taken place within studios and guilds, festivals are now confronting the same questions from a different angle.

For filmmakers, the uncertainty adds another layer to the submission process. Without clear guidelines, decisions about disclosure remain subjective, shaped by individual judgment rather than standardized requirements. Some may choose to be transparent, while others may avoid the topic altogether.

Cannes is unlikely to introduce sweeping rules in the immediate term, but the fact that the conversation is happening signals a shift. AI is no longer confined to commercial production or experimental work; it is entering the same ecosystem that defines artistic recognition and prestige.

As the festival approaches, the absence of a formal policy may be as telling as its presence. Cannes is not ignoring the issue, but it has not yet decided how to address it. That ambiguity reflects the broader state of the industry, where the technology is advancing faster than the institutions that evaluate it.