Demi Moore sparks backlash after urging Hollywood to ‘work with AI' at Cannes 2026

CANNES, FRANCE: Demi Moore has been slammed online after weighing in on the discussion around Artificial Intelligence (AI). The 63-year-old actress shared her views with reporters ahead of the Cannes Film Festival's opening ceremony on Tuesday, May 12.

Moore, who is serving on the 2026 Cannes Film Festival jury led by Park Chan-wook, emphasized that instead of fighting the new technology, Hollywood should “find ways in which we can work with it.”

Demi Moore says Hollywood should find ways to work with AI

During the press conference, when Moore was asked how AI is impacting the film industry and whether any rules should be in place to regulate it, 'The Substance' star replied, “Wow, that’s a big question. I think the reality is that to resist, I always feel that against-ness breeds against-ness. AI is here.”

“And so to fight it is to fight something that is a battle that we will lose. So to find ways in which we can work with it I think is a more valuable path to take,” she asserted.

Moore went on to say that she does not know if “we are doing enough to protect ourselves,” before stating, “And so my inclination would be to say probably not.”

Demi Moore asserts AI can never replace true art that comes from soul

But the 'GI Jane' star noted that there were “beautiful aspects to being able to utilise” AI.

“The truth is there really isn’t anything to fear because what it can never replace is what true art comes from, which is not the physical, it comes from the soul. It comes from the spirit of each and every one of us sitting here, to each and every one of us who creates every day. And that they can never recreate through something that is technical,” Moore added.

Demi Moore thrashed for 'absolutely useless stance' on AI

The producer’s stance on AI did not sit well with people online.

One X user commented, “I’m so done with the ‘it’s here’ argument. ‘It’s here’ is utterly meaningless. You don’t aid and abet widely destructive tech just by virtue of it BEING HERE.”

Another X user shared, “The people who know the least, do the least, and are nowhere near organizing, are the first to tell everyone to stop fighting. No Demi, we don’t have to accept the exploitative, thieving, brain damaging, environmentally harmful and polluting tech that tech imposed on us.”

“Absolutely useless stance. Speak up @justdemi. Guardrails are 100% necessary and it’s not that we missed the train getting on board with AI, it’s that we’ve missed the train on protections and social integrity. Why ask someone a question that they have no business answering,” a person on X wrote, slamming the actress.

“Let's keep giving the Academy more reasons not to give you that Oscar,” a comment read.

A critic posted, “I hope she shares the same sentiment when she finds herself unemployed due to AI taking over her job.”

“‘To fight it is a battle we will lose…’ ‘There really isn’t anything to fear’ totally reasonable pair of things to say right next to each other,” an X user sarcastically added.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.