By JIM McCULLAUGHHere features a de-aged Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. Their transformations were accomplished using a new generative AI-driven tool called Metaphysic Live. (Image courtesy of Metaphysic and TriStar Pictures/Sony)The VFX industry is still in the formative stage of a revolutionary transformation, driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and its tech cousins VR, Virtual Production, AR, Immersive and others. As we begin 2025, AI promises to redefine both the creative and technical workflows within this dynamic field. To explore the potential impacts and necessary preparations, a roundtable of leading experts from diverse corners of the global VFX industry brings insights from their experiences and visions for the future, addressing the critical questions.Q. VFX VOICE: How do you foresee AI transforming the creative and technical workflows in the visual effects industry by 2025, and what steps should professionals in the industry take today to prepare for these changes? Are we entering AI and Film 3.0, the phase where filmmakers are figuring out workflows that put together a string of specialized AI tools to serially generate an actual project? Still, lots of fear (era 1.0) and cautious experimentation (era 2.0), but most forward-looking are figuring out actual production processes.With the help of Metaphysic AI, Eminems music video Houdini created a version of Eminem from 20 years ago. Metaphysic offers tools that allow artists to create and manage digital versions of themselves that can be manipulated. (Images courtesy of Metaphysic and Interscope Records)Blue Beetle marked the first feature film where Digital Domain used its proprietary ML Cloth tool, which captures how Blue Beetles rubber-like suit stretches and forms folds and wrinkles in response to Blue Beetles movements. (Image courtesy of Digital Domain and Warner Bros. Pictures)A. Ed Ulbrich, Chief Content Officer & President of Production, MetaphysicBy 2025, AI will profoundly reshape the visual effects industry, enabling creators to achieve what was once deemed impossible. AI-powered tools are unlocking new levels of creativity, allowing artists to produce highly complex imagery and effects that were previously out of reach. These innovations are not only pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling but also drastically cutting costs by automating labor-intensive tasks and streamlining workflows.Moreover, AI will accelerate production and post-production schedules, transforming the entire filmmaking process. With AI handling time-consuming tasks, teams can focus more on the creative elements, leading to faster, more dynamic productions. To stay ahead, professionals should embrace AI, continuously learning and adapting to rapid advancements, ensuring they are prepared to harness these tools to their fullest potential. AI-powered filmmaking tools are like jet fuel for creativity.Fuzzy Door Techs ViewScreen in action from the Ted TV series. ViewScreen Studio is a visualization tool that enables real-time simulcam of visual effects while ViewScreen Scout is an app for iPhone. ViewScreen Studio visualizes and animates a complete scene, including digital assets, in real-time and for multiple cameras simultaneously. (Image courtesy of Fuzzy Door Tech)Harrison Ford transforms into Red Hulk for Captain America: Brave New World. (Image courtesy of Marvel Studios)A. Lala Gavgavian, Global President & COO, Digital Domain AI tools are already making strides in automating rotoscoping, keying and motion capture cleanup, which are traditionally labor-intensive and time-consuming tasks. In 2025, these tools will be more sophisticated, making post-production processes quicker and more accurate. The time saved here can be redirected to refining the quality of the visual effects and pushing the boundaries of whats possible in storytelling. AI has the possibility of being added to the artists palette, allowing expansion to experiment with different styles in a rapid prototyping way. By harnessing the power of AI, VFX professionals can unlock new levels of creativity and efficiency, leading to more immersive and personalized storytelling experiences.We are indeed moving into what could be considered the AI and Film 3.0 era. This phase is characterized by transitioning from fear (1.0) and cautious experimentation (2.0) to practical application.Filmmakers and VFX professionals are now figuring out workflows integrating specialized AI tools to create full-fledged projects. These tools can handle everything from pre-visualization and script breakdowns to real-time rendering and post-production enhancements. However, this transition is not without its challenges. There will be concerns about job displacement and the ethical implications of AI-generated content. To address these issues, the industry must adopt a balanced approach where AI augments human creativity rather than replacing it. Transparent discussions about the role of AI and its ethical implications should be held, ensuring that the technology is used responsibly.A. Brandon Fayette, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, Fuzzy Door TechBy 2025, AI is poised to significantly transform both creative and technical workflows in the visual effects industry. AIs impact is already evident in the entertainment sector, and it is set to become the standard for automating repetitive tasks such as shot creation and rendering. This automation is not limited to VFX; we cansee AIs efficiency in code generation, optimization, testing and de-noising audio, images and video. Technical workflows will become more flow-driven, utilizing AI to dynamically adapt and drive the desired creative results. This means AI will assist increating templates for workflows and provide contextual cues that help automate and enhance various stages of the creative process.AI is advancing rapidly, with new tools and techniques emerging almost daily. To stay ahead of these changes, VFX professionals should remain aware of new trends in AI and generative content.Continuous learning and adaptation will be crucial. However, the industry needs to establish standards and guidelines to ensure AI complements rather than compromises the artistic process. Our focus with the ViewScreen family of ProVis tools is on usingAI to support and enhance human creativity, not replace it. By improving processes across production workflows, AI can make jobs easier while respecting and preserving the craft and expertise of entertainment professionals.With GPU-accelerated NVIDIA-Certified Systems combined with NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation (vWS) software, professionals can do their work with advanced graphics capabilities from anywhere, able to tackle workloads ranging from interactive rendering to graphics-rich design and visualization applications or game development. (Image courtesy of NVIDIA)Examples of joint deformations before and after AI training shapes. (Image courtesy of SideFX)A. Nick Hayes, ZEISS Director of Cinema Sales, U.S. & CanadaThis past year, we have already seen fingerprints left by AI in both the technical and creative sides of the film industry.Companies like Strada are building AI-enabled production and post-production toolsets to complete tasks widely considered mundane or that nobody wants to do. In turn, this new technology will allow VFX artists and post-production supervisors more freedom to focus on the finer details and create out of this world visuals never seen before. I see this resulting in a higher grade of content, more imagination and even better storytelling.Recently, Cinema Synthetica held an AI-generated film contest. The competition founders argued that the use of generative AI empowers filmmakers to bring their stories to life at a much lower cost and faster than traditional filmmaking methods. Now, creatives can use software tools from companies like Adobe and OpenAI to create content from their minds eye by simply describing their vision in just a few sentences. In a way, the use of AI can be inspiring, especially for filmmakers with lower budgetsand less experience. In fact, in the next 12-24 months, we will see a surge of highly entertaining, imaginative content created by humans, assisted by AI.Character poses created in Houdini and used for AI training of joints. (Image courtesy of SideFX)Final result of posed character after AI training of joints, created and rendered in Houdini by artist Bogdan Lazar. (Image courtesy of SideFX)To stay ahead, professionals should embrace AI, continuously learning and adapting to rapid advancements, ensuring they are prepared toharness these tools to their fullest potential. AI-powered filmmaking tools are like jet fuelfor creativity.Ed Ulbrich, Chief Content Officer & President of Production, MetaphysicThere will be concerns about job displacement and the ethical implications of AI-generated content. To address these issues, the industrymust adopt a balanced approach where AI augments human creativity rather than replacing it. Transparent discussions about the role of AI and its ethical implications should be held, ensuring that the technology is used responsibly.Lala Gavgavian, Global President &COO, Digital DomainA. Neishaw Ali, Founder, President, Executive Producer, Spin VFXAI is set to transform the VFX industry by automating repetitive tasks, enhancing creativity and enabling real-time rendering. By staying up-to-date with AI tools, collaborating across disciplines, experimenting with new technologies and focusing on creative skills, professionals can effectively prepare for and leverage these advancements to enhance their workflows and deliver more innovative and compelling visual effects.We have been working with AI for many years in VFX and only now is it made available at a consumer level and poised to significantly transform both creative and technical workflows in the visual effects industry in several key areas such as: Concept Development Allows for visual ideation among the director, creative teamand VFX to solidify a vision in hours rather than weeks. It enables real-time alignment of the creative vision through text-to-image generation, a process not unlike Google image searches but far more targeted and effective.Automation of Repetitive Tasks Automation of repetitive and non-creative tasks such as rotoscoping and tracking will significantly reduce the time and effort required for these laborious processes thus allowing our artists to concentrate more on the creative aspects of the scene, which is both energizing and inspiring for them.Face Replacement AI is revolutionizing face replacement by enhancing accuracy and realism, increasing speed and efficiency, and improving accessibility and cost-effectiveness, allowing for high-quality face replacement for a wide range of applications. Proper authorization and clearance are necessary to ensure we do no harm to any likeness or person.Real-time rendering Though not only AI-driven, real-time rendering is most certainly changing the VFX workflow. As the quality of final renders becomes more photorealistic and AI-enabled technologies like denoising and upresing allow formore complex scenes to be scalable in software like Unreal Engine, the design and iteration process will accelerate. Changes can be instantly viewed and assessed by everyone.Steps for Professionals to Prepare: I believe one of the biggest challenges for some VFX artists and professionals is understanding that embracing AI does not mean sacrificing anything. Instead, it allows you to work smarter and more effectively, dedicating more time to creative tasks rather than monotonous, repetitive ones.A. Antoine Moulineau, CEO & Creative Director, Light Visual EffectsAI feels like the beginning of CGI 30 years ago when a new software or tool was out every week. There are a lot of different techs available, and its very hard to focus on one thing or invest in specific workflows. At LIGHT, we are focusing on better training artists with Nukes Copycat and new tools such as comfyUI. Up-res or frame interpolation are already huge time-savers in producing high-res renders or textures. AI like Midjourney or FLUX has already disrupted massively concept art and art direction; they play now a major part in the workflow. 2025 will be about animated concepts and possibly postvis if the tools mature enough to have the control required. Animating concepts with tools such as Runway 3.A major blocker for final use remains controlling the AI and the lack of consistency of the tools. As said earlier, there is so much happening now, that it is hard to keep up or rely on the tools to be able to integrate in a pipeline.I dont know if it will be for 2025, but I can see AI disrupting the CGI pipelines in the very short term; generative AI could replace traditional rendering in many scenarios and reduce the need for texturing or high-resolution modeling in the near future, specifically for wide environments. Lip-sync is also a process where AI is really shining and will disrupt traditional workflows in 2025.We will start seeing directors preparing an AI version of their films with an edit of animated concepts with music during the pitching/concept phase, especially for advertising. This is such a helpful process to understand and communicate their vision. Its kind of a Moodboard 3.0, and I can certainly imagine this process becoming the norm very quickly. For very short-form social content, it will probably replace entirely traditional workflows. That being said, I think long-form remains an art form where actors and performance remain central, and I dont see AI taking over anytime soon. It is hard for me to see the point of that. We need real people to identify with so we can connect to the content. Art is about the vision; it captures society and the world as it is in the time it is made. In other words, AI remains a gigantic database of the past, but we still need the human creation process to create new art. A good example is, AI wouldnt be able to generatea cartoon version of a character if someone hadnt invented cartoon previously. It will accelerate processes for sure but not replace them.A. Christian Nielsen, Creative Director, The MillPredicting the future is challenging, especially given AIs rapid advancement. However, I anticipate an increasing integration of AI tools into the VFX pipeline. Were already seeing this to some degree with AI-powered rotoscoping and paint tools, which address some of the most common repetitive tasks in VFX.Additionally, inpainting and outpainting techniques are emerging as powerful tools for removing elements from shots and creating set extensions. ComfyUI has already become an integral part of many AI pipelines, and I foresee its integration expanding across most VFX studios.I strongly recommend that everyone in the VFX industry familiarize themselves with AI to better understand its capabilities and implications. The integration of AI into VFX is both inevitable and unstoppable.AI is advancing rapidly, with new tools and techniques emerging almost daily. To stay ahead of these changes, VFX professionals should remain aware of new trends in AI and generative content. Continuous learning and adaptation will be crucial. However, the industry needs to establish standards and guidelines to ensure AI complements ratherthan compromises the artistic process.Brandon Fayette, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, Fuzzy Door TechIn a way, the use of AI can be inspiring, especially for filmmakers with lower budgets and less experience. In fact, in the next 12-24 months, we will see a surge of highly entertaining, imaginative content created by humans, assisted by AI.Nick Hayes, ZEISS Director of Cinema Sales,U.S. & Canada[O]ne of the biggest challenges for some VFX artists and professionals is understandingthat embracing AI does not mean sacrificing anything. Instead, it allows you to work smarter and more effectively, dedicating more time to creative tasks rather than monotonous, repetitive ones.Neishaw Ali, Founder, President, Executive Producer, Spin VFXI can see AI disrupting the CGI pipelines in the very short term; generative AI could replace traditional rendering in many scenarios andreduce the need for texturing or high-resolution modeling in the near future, specifically for wide environments. Lip-sync is also a process where AI is really shining and will disrupttraditional workflows in 2025.Antoine Moulineau, CEO & Creative Director, Light Visual EffectsTheres still progress to be made before full text-to-video tools like Runwayml Gen-3 or Sora can be used to create complete AI commercials or movies. The main challenge is the lack of precise control with AI. If a director dislikes a specific element in a shot or wants to make changes, theres currently no way to control that. As a result, AI tools are generally not very director-friendly. At present, these tools work best for ideation and conceptdevelopment, like how we use Midjourney or Stable Diffusion for still concepts. Initially, AI could be used for creating stock elements, but Im confident that OpenAI and others are working on giving users more control.Over the past 12 months, weve used AI for several commercials and experiences, learning as we go. This technology is so newin the VFX industry that theres little experience to draw from, which can lead to some long workdays.A. Mark Finch, Chief Technology Officer, ViconThe industry is going through considerable change as audience preferences and consumer habits have evolved significantly in recent years. More people are staying in than going out, tentpole IPs are reporting decreased excitement and financial returns, and weve seen a period of continuous layoffs. As a result, theres a lot of caution and anticipation as to whats next.In a transitional period like this, people are looking at the industry around them with a degree of trepidation, but I think theres also a significant amount of opportunity waiting to be exploited. Consumer hunger for new worlds and stories powered by VFX and new technologies is there, along with plenty of companies wanting to meet that demand.For the immediate future, I predict were going to see a spike in experimentation as people search for the most effective ways of utilizing these technologies to serve an audience whose appetite knows no bounds. Vicon is fueling that experimentation with our work in ML/AI, for example, which is the foundation of our markerless technology. Our markerless solution is lowering the barriers to entry to motion capture, paving the way for new non-technical experts to leverage motion capture in their industries.An example weve come to recognize is giving animators direct access to motion capture who historically would have only had access to it through mocap professionals on the performance capture stage, which is expensive and in high demand. This unfettered access reduces the creativity iteration loop, which ultimately leads to a faster final product that is representative of their creative dream.Theres a lot of excitement and noise surrounding the rapid growth of AI and ML-powered tech. Its impossible to look anywhere without seeing tools that encourage new workflows or provide enhancements to existing ones. A consequence of this is that you can fall into the mindset of, This is the way everything is going to be done, so I need to know about it all. When technology is moving so fast, you risk spreading yourself thin across a wealth of tools that are still finding their feet and may themselves be redundant, replaced or improved beyond recognition in the future.The best preparation comes from understanding the problem before the solution, in other words, identifying the obstacle you need to overcome first. You get this by focusing on people speaking to them about their challenges, researching those that exist across their industry in general, and gaining an understanding of why a certain tool, workflow or enhancement might exist.A. Paul Salvini, Global CTO, DNEGAI, especially machine learning, is poised to significantly impact the visual effects industry, transforming both creative and technical workflows. At DNEG, we are investing in the development of new AI-enabled tools and workflows to empower artists and enhance the creative process. For us, storytelling remains paramount so our use of AI is directed towards activities that provide better feedback for artists and deeper creative control.In terms of artist-facing tools, some of the areas likely to see early adoption of AI and ML techniques throughout 2025 include: Improving rendering performance (providing faster artist feedback); automating repetitive tasks; procedurally creating content; generating variations; and processing, manipulating and generating 2D images.AI techniques and tools are being increasingly used to generate ideas, explore creative alternatives and build early stand-ins for various locations, characters and props. As with all new tools, professionals can prepare by learning the basics of AI, and seeing how these tools are already being explored, developed and deployed in existing industry-standard packages.Some AI and ML tools work invisibly, while others require direct user involvement. An abundance of publicly available and user-friendly websites has emerged, allowing artists and the general public to experiment with various ML models to better understand their current capabilities and limitations.These new tools, while impressive, further emphasize the importance of human creativity, communication and collaboration. Our collective job of developing and bringing great stories to life remains unchanged. However, as our tools improve, we can dedicate more time to creative endeavors and less on mundane tasks. This is truly a better way to create better content.A. Christopher Nichols, Director, Chaos LabsMachine learning has been transforming the industry for years, so its nothing new to VFX artists. Especially when it comes to digital humans, rotoscoping, fluid sims and analyzing data/camera tracking information. AI will continue to take on a bigger piece of the workflow and replace a lot of traditional VFX techniques in time. The industry will just continue to adapt.Creating high-level content is going to become much more accessible, though. Soon, independent filmmakers will create shots that would have been the sole domain of high-end VFX houses. This will free the latter to experiment with more ambitious work. Currently, Chaos is trying to help artists get to LED screens faster via Project Arena and NVIDIA AI technology; youll likely see AI solutions become commonplace in the years ahead. Youll also probably see fewer artists per project and more projects in general, too, as AI makes things more affordable. So instead of 10 movies a year with 1,000 VFX artists on each movie, itll be more like 1,000 films with 100 names per project.The elephant in the room is generative AI. However, the big movie studios are reluctant to use it due to copyright issues. Right now, the matter of where the data is coming from is being worked out through the court system, and those decisions will influence what happens next. That said, I dont think an artist will bereplaced by a prompt engineer anytime soon. The best work you see coming out of the generative AI world is being done by artists who add it to their toolsets. You still must know what to feed these tools and artists know that better than anyone.I strongly recommend that everyone in the VFX industry familiarize themselves with AI to better understand its capabilities andimplications. The integration of AI into VFX is both inevitable and unstoppable.Christian Nielsen, Creative Director, The MillA consequence of [the rapid growth of AI] is that you can fall into the mindset of, This is the way everything is going to be done, so Ineed to know about it all. When technology is moving so fast, you risk spreading yourself thin across a wealth of tools that are stillfinding their feet and may themselves be redundant, replaced or improved beyond recognition in the future.Mark Finch, Chief Technology Officer, ViconOur collective job of developing and bringing great stories to life remains unchanged.However, as our tools improve, we can dedicate more time to creative endeavors and less on mundane tasks. This is truly a better way to create better content.Paul Salvini, Global CTO, DNEG[Y]oull likely see AI solutions become commonplace in the years ahead. Youll also probably see fewer artists per project andmore projects in general, too, as AI makes things more affordable. So instead of10 movies a year with 1,000 VFX artists on each movie, itll be more like 1,000 films with 100 names per project.Christopher Nichols, Director, Chaos LabsA. Greg Anderson, COO, Scanline VFX and Eyeline StudiosIn 2025, AI tools and technology are poised to significantly transform how visual effects are created, from automating the most mundaneof tasks to expanding the possibilities of the most complex visual effects sequences. Several compositing packages already incorporate AI-based features that greatly improve rotoscoping, tracking, cleanup speed and quality. These features will continue to improve in 2025, allowing artists to spend more time on the final quality of shot production. The ongoing and fast-moving development of generative AI tools and features will change the process, efficiency and quality of everything from digital environments to effects and character animation.From a technical and production workflow standpoint, AI will continue to optimize render processes, allowing for more iterations and leading to more convincing imagery that is faster and cost-effective. New tools will assist VFX teams in organizing, managing and accessing vast libraries of digital assets, making it easier for artiststo find and reuse elements across different projects. Data-driven insights will also allow AI tools to predict which assets might be needed based on project requirements.Overall, AI technology is poised to revolutionize the VFX industry next year and beyond, as weve only yet to scratch the surface of what will be possible. In preparation, anyone working in the VFX industry should lean heavily toward curiosity, continuous learning and skill development. Time spent experimenting with AI tools and technologies in current workflows will heighten the understanding of AIs capabilities and limitations. Additionally, while AI can enhance many technical aspects, creativity remains a human domain. Artists should focus on developing artistic vision, storytelling skills and creative problem-solving abilities.A. David Lebensfeld, President and VFX Supervisor, Ingenuity Studios and Ghost VFXIn 2025, we will see a continuation of idea genesis happening by leveraging generative AI tools. We will also find that our clients use generative AI tools to communicate their ideas by leveraging easy-to-use tools they have never had before. The sacrifice being controllability, but the benefit is ease of communication.Most of our studio clients have a real sensitivity to how AI is being used on their projects, and they want it to be additive to the projects versus a threat to the ecosystem. In the short term, generative AI will be used more as a tool for communication than it is for execution.Well continue to see AI-based tools in our existing software packages, giving both in-house and vendor tool developers and software developers room to expand their offerings. While AI advancements will continue to improve existing toolsets, they wont replace team members at scale, especially in the high-end part of the market.Looking ahead, I think the best professionals in our industry are already dialed in to developing toolsets and new technologies. Its always been the case that you have to be agile and stay aware of continual software and hardware developments. VFX is theintersection of technology and art; you must know and constantly improve both to stay competitive. Also on a professional level, I dont think well see meaningful changes in 2025 to how VFX final pixels get made at the studio side, for a multitude of reasons, two being a lack of granular control and sour optics.How people are talking about AI can often feel like a marketing trick. Everyone is using the same basic technology layer, and that always gets better as all boats rise. Like anything else, the people who know and leverage advanced technology the best and the most creatively will continue to win.A. Mathieu Raynault, Founder, Raynault VFXWhen I first thought about how AI might affect the visual effects industry, I felt both skeptical and anxious. But since I started in computer graphics in 1996, I havent seen anything with this much potential for exciting transformation.At Raynault VFX, AI is set to significantly boost our efficiency by automating routine tasks and letting our team focus more on the creative parts of our projects. Were a small team of 55 and creativity is at the heart of what we do. Weve started using AI to increase our productivity without sacrificing our artistic integrity. With seven full-time developers, were heavily invested in research and development, including AI, to improve our workflows.Looking ahead, I see AI enhancing our current tools, helping us keep control over the creative process and refine our work with client feedback. This blend of AI and human creativity is crucial because filmmakers will still rely on creative teams to bring their visions to life. Although theres some worry about AIs ability to create entire films or TV shows on its own, I think these tools wont replace human-driven filmmaking anytime soon.AI will certainly transform our workflows and could lead to shifts in employment within our industry. VFX artists will become more productive, able to deliver more work in less time, which might lead to a reduction in job numbers compared to pre-strike highs. For VFX professionals, integrating AI into their workflows is essential, yet its crucial to preserve and enhance our existing skills. In the field of concept art, for example, AI can assist in drafting initial designs, but the intricate process of refining these concepts to align with a directors vision will still require human expertise. Artists who can both direct AI and iterate while creating concept art themselves will be invaluable.In summary, Im quite optimistic. As we move toward 2025, adopting AI requires us to change our skills and approaches to stay competitive and innovative. As a business owner in the VFX industry, its incredibly motivating!AI technology is poised to revolutionize the VFX industry next year and beyond, as weve only yet to scratch the surface of what will be possible. In preparation, anyone working inthe VFX industry should lean heavily toward curiosity, continuous learning and skilldevelopment.Greg Anderson, COO, Scanline VFX and Eyeline StudiosHow people are talking about AI can oftenfeel like a marketing trick. Everyone is using the same basic technology layer, and that always gets better as all boats rise. Like anything else, the people who know and leverage advanced technology the best and the most creatively will continue to win.David Lebensfeld, President andVFX Supervisor, Ingenuity Studios and Ghost VFXWhen I first thought about how AI might affect the visual effects industry, I felt both skeptical and anxious. But since I startedin computer graphics in 1996, I havent seen anything with this much potential for exciting transformation.Mathieu Raynault, Founder,Raynault VFXI know some people look at AI and its use as being somehow catastrophic for our business but, at the end of the day, I think itll be just another tool in our arsenal and, used wisely, a great one. The faster artists and companies embrace it and learn to use it in their workflows, the better, and were already seeing that adaptation now.Viktor Mller, CEO, Universal Production Partners (UPP)A. Viktor Mller, CEO, Universal Production Partners (UPP)To some extent, AI has already begun to transform the industry.We see demonstrations of its growing capabilities almost on a weekly basis, and there seems to be a lot of fear around that.Honestly, Im not worried about it at all. I could sense it coming long before it started turning up in the media, which is why UPP has been quietly building out our VP and AI departments for the last six years.I know some people look at AI and its use as being somehow catastrophic for our business but, at the end of the day, I think itllbe just another tool in our arsenal and, used wisely, a great one. The faster artists and companies embrace it and learn to use it in their workflows, the better, and were already seeing that adaptation now.A. Kim Davidson, President & CEO, SideFXOver the past year, we have seen several advancements in AI in the visual effects industry and we expect this to continue in 2025. So far, the advancements have been more evolutionary than revolutionary. AI is not replacing creatives or the production pipeline butis greatly speeding up many of the more mundane tasks while not fully eliminating them yet. Tracking and rotoscoping are key examples of tasks that have been improved and sped up. We predict that 2025 will see more AI-based tools being used throughout the pipeline, with improved AI implementations andsome brand-new tools. These AI-enhanced workflows will include design concept, asset (model and texture) creation, motion stabilization, improved character animation and deformation (e.g. clothing, hair, skin), matching real-world lights, style transferring, temporal denoising and compositing.Of course, there will be improvements (and more releases) of prompt-based generative video applications. But for a variety of reasons we dont see this as the best workflow for creative professionals, certainly not the be-all and end-all for art-directed content creators. We believe in providing artists with AI/ML-enhanced toolsets to bring their creative visions to life more quickly and efficiently, allowing for more iterationsthat should lead to higher quality. We are at an exciting stage in the confluence of powerful hardware andAI-enhanced software where creative talent will be more important than ever and able to harness creative platforms to tell stories in truly extraordinary new ways.A. Dade Orgeron, Vice President of Innovation, Shutterstock2025 is here, but with generative AI technology moving so quickly, I think we can expect to see AI continueto transform the visual effects industry, particularly through advancements in generative video and 3D tools. As AI models continue to improve, we can expect notable enhancements in temporal consistency and reduced distortion, along with compositing tools to help seamlessly integrate AI-generated content into live-action footage or easily remove/replace unwanted people or objects. In the next wave of generative video models, complex mechanical devices and other intricate details will be represented with unprecedented precision, and advanced dynamics and fluid simulations will start to become achievable with generative video rather than traditional, time-consuming simulation engines. Will it be perfect? Maybe not in the next six months, but perhaps within the next year.To prepare for these advancements, VFX professionals should invest in upskilling themselves in AI and machine learning technologies. Understanding the capabilities, and particularly the limitations of AI-driven tools, will be essential. They should experiment with generative image and video technologies as well as 3D tools that leverage AI to streamline their workflowsand enhance their creative skills. Thats something at Shutterstock that we are actively enabling through partnerships with NVIDIA and Databricks. For instance, weve developed our own GenAI models to accelerate authentic creative output, all with ethically sourced data. Early adoption and a shift towards embracing new technologies and methodologies will enable artists and technicians to remain competitive and innovative in these rapidly evolving times.A. Gary Mundell, CEO, Tippett StudioThe big question is: What will AI mean to us in 2025? As we move through the Gartner Hype Cycle, AI seems to be transitioning from the Trough of Disillusionment into the Slope of Enlightenment, much like the early days of the .com era. AI is poised to bring a suite of tools that handle obvious tasks roto, match move, res up, FX but thats just the tip of the iceberg. Anything described by a massive database can use AI. If youcan articulate your prompts, and theres a database to train the answers, youre set. Forget influencers soon, prompters will drive production with AI-generated insights.By 2025, AI will fundamentally change VFX production. Imagine a system capable of generating an entire schedule and budget through prompts. AI could create a VFX schedule for a 1,200-shot project, complete with budgets, storyboards, 3D layouts and animatic blocking, all tailored to a directors style and the level of complexity. However, where todays AI falls short is in the temporal dimension it struggles with believable, complex animation. Current engines tend to produce flowy, slow visuals lacking continuity, and while many tools claim to address this, it will take time before AI excels at high-quality animation.At Tippett Studios, we leverage AI for previsualization, conceptualization and project management. Using TACTIC Resource, we integrate AI into planning and resource management, handling vast production data to predict outcomes and streamline workflows. As we move into 2025 and beyond, AIs data management capabilities will be key to future productivity and financial success, even as we await more advanced animation tools. As AI continues through the Peak of Inflated Expectations and towards the Plateau of Productivity, its role in VFX production will become increasingly significant.We are at an exciting stage in theconfluence of powerful hardware and AI-enhanced software where creative talent will be more important than ever and able to harness creative platforms to tell stories in truly extraordinary new ways.Kim Davidson, President & CEO, SideFXEarly adoption and a shift towards embracing new technologies andmethodologies will enable artists and technicians to remaincompetitive and innovative in these rapidly evolving times.Dade Orgeron, Vice President of Innovation, Shutterstock[W]here todays AI falls short is in the temporal dimension itstruggles with believable, complex animation. Current engines tend to produce flowy, slow visuals lacking continuity, and while many toolsclaim to address this, it will taketime before AI excels at high-quality animation.Gary Mundell, CEO, Tippett Studio