Backrooms Director Kane Parsons Condemns Generative AI as Cultural and Economic Rot

Young Director Takes Stand Against AI in Cinema

Kane Parsons, the 20-year-old filmmaker behind the breakout Backrooms movie, has delivered a pointed critique of generative AI in the entertainment industry 1

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. In a recent interview with The Australian, director Kane Parsons stated bluntly: "If I could snap my fingers and make generative AI disappear forever, I probably would" 2

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. His disapproval of generative AI comes at a moment when his A24 horror hit has become one of 2025's most unexpected success stories, earning approximately $135 million at the worldwide box office against a modest $10 million budget 2

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AI in Filmmaking Defeats Creative Purpose

Parsons explained his position on AI in filmmaking with clarity that reflects broader concerns within the creative community. "Creatively, I get no enjoyment from using those tools. It defeats the purpose entirely for me," he told The Australian 1

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. The young director considers himself "in the same boat as most well-adjusted people" when it comes to opposing the technology's integration into cinema 1

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. While Parsons acknowledges potential applications for AI in specific VFX tasks, he emphasized that "right now it's difficult to discuss objectively because there's so much at stake and so many genuinely harmful consequences already happening" 1

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Generative AI as Cultural and Economic Rot

Parsons went further in characterizing the technology's impact on society and art. "Generative AI feels less like innovation than a symptom of a broader cultural and economic rot," he stated 1

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. He pointed to the proliferation of AI-generated content in everyday visual reality, noting that "we already live in a world where you walk outside and there are billboards and signs that are obvious AI slop. That's become part of our visual reality" 1

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. This observation reflects growing concerns about how generative AI is reshaping the cultural landscape without meaningful consideration of its long-term implications.

Exploring AI Iconography Without Using AI

Despite his strong opposition, Parsons sees artistic value in examining what AI represents. "What interests me more is interrogating it artistically," he shared, adding that he's "interested in using that iconography in art—not using AI to make the art itself, but examining what it represents" 1

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. This approach to AI iconography suggests that future projects from Parsons may critically explore the technology's cultural impact without relying on it as a creative tool 1

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Generational Divide in Cinema's AI Debate

Parsons' stance contrasts sharply with recent comments from legendary director Martin Scorsese, who argued that filmmakers should remain open to AI because cinema is a young medium that shouldn't close itself off to potential evolutions 2

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. This divide demonstrates differing perspectives on technology adoption in filmmaking, though not necessarily along expected age lines—with the younger Parsons taking the more conservative position. The Backrooms movie itself is based on an internet creepypasta and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, and Finn Bennett 1

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. Ejiofor noted he was drawn to the project's "fascinating world to explore, [with] fascinating characters" rather than its viral origins 1

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. As Parsons' career launches with extraordinary critical and audience reception, his position on AI may influence how emerging filmmakers approach the technology in their own work.