The Hollywood Reporter has published its AI 25 — a debut power list identifying the most influential people shaping how artificial intelligence is changing the entertainment industry. The list spans filmmakers, tech executives, activists, and entrepreneurs, each with a distinct vision for what Hollywood looks like in the AI age.
A New Kind of Power Structure
Unlike traditional Hollywood power lists, the AI 25 has no familiar gatekeepers at the top. AI has created an open playing field, and the people flooding into it come from backgrounds as diverse as visual effects, Silicon Valley, documentary activism, and South Park.
The common thread is influence. Every person on the list has both a vision and the leverage to make it real.
The Surprising Names on the List
Ben Affleck spent years publicly criticising generative AI, calling its writing output poor by nature. In March 2026, he revealed he had secretly co-founded an AI post-production startup called InterPositive, which Netflix acquired in a deal estimated at up to $600 million — one of the streaming giant's largest acquisitions ever.
James Cameron joined the board of Stability AI while simultaneously opening his latest Avatar film with a title card confirming no generative AI was used in its production.
Matt Stone and Trey Parker have been quietly running an AI company called Deep Voodoo for six years, building bespoke models for high-end creatives rather than selling tools to anyone willing to pay.
The Activists Pushing Back
Not everyone on the list is embracing AI. Daniel Kwan, director of Everything Everywhere All at Once, co-founded Creators Coalition on AI in February 2026 alongside actors Natasha Lyonne and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The organisation focuses on regulating AI use and protecting artists' rights. Gordon-Levitt was subsequently appointed as the United Nations' first Global Advocate for Human-Centric Digital Governance.
Justine Bateman has built a no-AI film festival in Hollywood that has now run for two consecutive years, attracting prominent directors and growing steadily in influence.
The Studios Are Already Moving
Lionsgate appointed the first-ever chief AI officer at a major Hollywood studio in February 2026. Amazon is running a beta test for new AI filmmaking tools with an undisclosed group of directors. Disney has held internal summits promoting AI adoption across all departments despite the collapse of its OpenAI partnership earlier this year.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan — whose platform now reaches more American viewers on television than any traditional network — has made eliminating low-quality AI content and democratising high-end production tools his two main priorities for 2026.
What the AI 25 Says About Where Hollywood Is Headed
The Hollywood Reporter's AI 25 reflects an industry that is neither fully embracing nor fully resisting the technology. The lines between believer, sceptic, and opportunist are blurring fast. What is clear is that AI has already changed how films are developed, produced, and distributed — and the people on this list are deciding what comes next.
