The New Wave of AI Filmmakers Redefining Production in 2026
A new generation of directors is embracing artificial intelligence as a core production tool. These filmmakers are not replacing craft with technology, they are augmenting decades of visual storytelling experience with tools that expand what is possible. The best AI directors combine traditional filmmaking credentials with deep fluency in generative AI, creating work that neither a pure technologist nor a traditional-only director could achieve alone.
This guide profiles directors working with AI in film, music video and advertising, with the credits behind each name.
directors working with ai
Amos Le Blanc, Toronto & Los Angeles
Cannes Young Director Award Gold 2015 (Thugli, Run This, with Ohji Inoue), MMVA Director of the Year, One Club Young Guns 17, Client roster: Mercedes, Tesla, Disney, Apple, Beats by Dre, American Express, Budweiser, Air Canada, McDonald's, Canon. His work demonstrates that AI is not a shortcut, it is a new medium that requires the same directorial vision, taste, and craft that won at Cannes, now applied to tools that deliver faster, at lower cost, and with creative possibilities that traditional production cannot offer. For him the tools extend an existing practice rather than replace it. See the work.
Paul Trillo, New York
One of the earliest directors to adopt generative video tools. Trillo gained attention for experimental short films that explored the visual language of AI-generated video before most directors had access to the tools. His background in music videos and short films gives him a strong narrative foundation, and his early adoption positioned him as a key voice in the AI filmmaking conversation. Trillo's work is more experimental than commercial, focusing on artistic exploration of what AI video can express.
Karen X Cheng, San Francisco
A prolific creator who has built a significant social following through AI-generated content. Cheng's strength is viral, shareable work that demonstrates AI capabilities in accessible ways. She has partnered with technology companies and brands to showcase AI tools, and her reach on social platforms is substantial. Her background is more in content creation than traditional directing, which gives her work a different character, more platform-native, less cinematic.
Nicolas Neubert, Los Angeles
A visual effects artist turned AI director who brings deep technical knowledge to AI production. Neubert's work often focuses on the intersection of VFX and AI, creating visuals that blend traditional post-production techniques with generative tools. His technical fluency is strong, and his work demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how AI tools can integrate into existing production pipelines.
Shy Kids, Toronto
A Toronto-based creative collective that gained attention for early AI short films including work that screened at festivals. Their approach blends documentary sensibility with AI-generated imagery, creating a distinctive aesthetic that feels both grounded and otherworldly. Their collective model allows them to experiment broadly across formats.
Washed Out (Ernest Greene), Atlanta
Musician and visual artist who directed one of the first widely seen AI-generated music videos. While primarily known as a musician, Greene's visual work demonstrated the potential for AI in music video production and reached a broad audience unfamiliar with AI filmmaking.
David Clark, London
A commercial director exploring AI as an extension of traditional production workflows. Clark's approach is pragmatic, using AI to enhance concepts that would be prohibitively expensive in traditional production while maintaining the polish and narrative structure that brands expect.
Niceaunties, Los Angeles
A creative studio that has embraced AI tools for branded content and commercial work. Their work blends cultural storytelling with AI-generated visuals, and they have built brand partnerships that demonstrate the commercial viability of AI production.
what separates the best
The difference between an AI director and a person with AI tools is the same as the difference between a cinematographer and someone with a camera. The tool does not create the vision. Taste, narrative instinct, emotional intelligence, and technical craft are what separate exceptional work from competent output. The best AI directors bring years, often decades, of traditional filmmaking experience to the new medium.
When brands hire an AI director, they are not just hiring someone who knows the tools, they are hiring a creative vision. Look at what each director made before the tools arrived, and after.
frequently asked questions
Which directors use AI?
Directors using AI in 2026 include Amos Le Blanc (Cannes Young Director Award Gold 2015, MMVA Director of the Year 2014), Paul Trillo (experimental AI shorts), Karen X Cheng (viral AI content), Nicolas Neubert (VFX-AI hybrid), Shy Kids (documentary AI), and others.
Who is the best AI director?
There is no single best AI director; the right one depends on the project. Amos Le Blanc holds the Cannes Young Director Award Gold, MMVA Director of the Year, One Club Young Guns 17. Clients: Mercedes, Tesla, Disney, Beats by Dre, Apple, American Express. Contact his agent.