Danny Boyle Confirms He Used AI in ‘Ink,’ and Explains Exactly How Much

Filmmakers have grown increasingly cautious about discussing artificial intelligence’s role in their productions, wary of the backlash that’s followed other high-profile projects accused of leaning on the technology. That hesitancy has made directors’ willingness to speak candidly about AI usage something of a rarity in an industry still grappling with how to handle the tool responsibly.

Danny Boyle’s newest film has been generating plenty of conversation since opening the Venice Film Festival before heading on to Telluride, with much of that discussion centered on its portrayal of 1970s British tabloid journalism. As online speculation grew about whether certain archival-style visuals in the film had been digitally recreated, Boyle decided to address the question directly rather than letting the rumors linger.

Boyle confirmed that his new film ‘Ink’ employed AI technology in the production of about 30 seconds of footage. Speaking to Vanity Fair in a video interview from Telluride, Boyle explained that they animate a couple of old photographs in a way audiences will have seen online before, and that the technology was also used to create digital mice that scurry around The Sun’s newsroom throughout the film, adding that AI is very good for animals, according to JustJared.

That specific detail addressed lingering online speculation from viewers who had wondered whether AI was responsible for reanimating archival-style images of the Kray twins and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher within the film. Boyle’s confirmation settled that question directly, making clear the technology was indeed used for exactly that purpose.

Boyle also explained his broader philosophy on using AI as a filmmaking tool, describing it as genuinely useful in many respects as long as it’s deployed respectfully and doesn’t replace actors who deserve fair compensation for their work. He compared the approach to any standard animation project, treating AI as simply one more option within the broader visual effects toolbox rather than something fundamentally different from other digital techniques.

Boyle even offered a personal reason behind relying on digital mice rather than real animals for the newsroom scenes, recalling that he’d previously gotten in trouble with PETA over live chimpanzees used at the beginning of ’28 Days Later.’ Since then, he’s made a point of using CG animals in his films, noting that AI has proven particularly effective for that specific purpose.

‘Ink’ tells the story of the launch of The Sun newspaper, chronicling the volatile early partnership between editor Larry Lamb and media mogul Rupert Murdoch. The film stars Jack O’Connell as Lamb and Guy Pearce as a younger version of Murdoch, alongside Claire Foy, with a screenplay from James Graham adapted from his own Tony-winning stage play.

The Studiocanal and Netflix production currently holds an 85 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes following its Venice premiere, positioning it as one of the stronger critical performers to emerge from this year’s festival circuit. Given that reception, Boyle’s transparency about the film’s limited AI usage arrives at a moment when the production is already generating considerable awards season buzz.

Boyle used his festival appearances to voice broader concerns about AI’s impact on media workers, even while defending the technology’s narrow application within his own film. That balance, acknowledging AI’s usefulness in specific creative contexts while remaining wary of its larger implications for the industry, reflects the same complicated tension many filmmakers are currently navigating as the technology becomes more widespread.

With ‘Ink’ set to release in theaters this December before arriving on Netflix in January, Boyle’s candid comments about its limited AI usage give audiences a clearer picture of exactly how the technology factored into the finished film.

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