As generative artificial intelligence continues to expand into creative industries, film schools across the United States are beginning to incorporate AI-focused courses into their curricula. While some educators see this as a necessary step to prepare students for an evolving industry, others remain skeptical, and students themselves are divided about whether AI belongs in the classroom at all.
Student Pushback Meets Institutional Change
At DePaul University in Chicago, one of the country’s leading film schools, the announcement of a new course on AI-assisted screenwriting quickly drew criticism from students. An email introducing the class described it as an opportunity to explore “the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in the screenwriting process.” For some, including 20-year-old film major Jake Panek, the course represented a step too far. Panek voiced his frustration publicly, posting on Instagram that the very existence of the course was “embarrassing” for the program and calling for its cancellation.
Panek later explained that his objection was rooted in what he viewed as a dilution of the creative process. He argued that writing is meant to be a struggle, one that forces artists to find their own solutions rather than relying on a computer to generate material. “Taking the shortcut of generative AI doesn’t do anything for anyone,” he said, emphasizing that students who embrace such tools risk losing the essence of artistic problem-solving.
Despite the criticism, DePaul’s administration has signaled its commitment to exploring AI’s potential role in the arts. The School of Cinematic Arts, which is part of the College of Computing and Digital Media, recently hosted a symposium titled “AI in the Arts” and has established an AI task force to examine integration across programs. Faculty members, including Matthew Quinn, the professor tasked with teaching the new screenwriting course, say their goal is not to promote AI uncritically but to give students an informed perspective on how it might shape the industry.
Inside the AI Screenwriting Course
Quinn explained that the AI screenwriting class is structured much like other writing workshops but with the addition of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. Students will be asked to use AI to draft elements like loglines, character biographies, and step outlines, which are scene-by-scene breakdowns used in screenwriting. These drafts will then be discussed in workshops where students evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of AI-generated input alongside their own creative contributions.
The course also includes a policy requiring students to acknowledge when they use AI and to describe how they applied it in their work. This transparency, Quinn said, allows faculty to assess whether the use of AI was appropriate and constructive. He noted that while student interest in the class has been limited so far, the goal is to give them exposure to tools that are already becoming part of professional practice.
Quinn himself acknowledges mixed feelings about AI in creative work. “It’s not like I’m a huge proponent of AI and love AI,” he said. “It’s more like, as an educator, I feel like I’m doing a disservice to students if I’m not exposing them to this or pretending like it’s not happening.” The intention, he added, is to prepare students to make their own informed decisions about whether to adopt or reject AI in their creative process.
A Broader Trend Across Film Schools
DePaul is not alone in its experimentation. Other institutions are also introducing programs that explore the intersection of AI and storytelling. The University of Southern California has launched an AI for Media and Storytelling studio, which aims to investigate how AI can influence film, media, and journalism. UCLA Extension has introduced a course called “Creative Process in the Age of AI,” while the American Film Institute has offered a seminar series titled “Storytelling and AI.”
Holly Willis, co-director of USC’s AI studio, explained that the initiative began in 2023 as AI tools like ChatGPT gained widespread cultural attention. She described herself as “deeply critical” of the technology but also excited by the new narrative possibilities it creates. “I think there are definite problems with generative AI and how it’s been introduced to filmmakers and artists,” she said, “but at the same time, the work that I’m seeing artists do is really exciting.”
Still, Willis acknowledged that students often approach AI with hesitation. In her early classes, many questioned the value of investing in film education when AI appeared capable of producing creative work with minimal effort. She emphasized, however, that meaningful storytelling still requires skill and artistic judgment, qualities that cannot be replaced by automation. As more schools adopt similar courses, the debate over AI’s place in film education is likely to continue, balancing curiosity with caution in an industry defined by both tradition and innovation.