Creators showcase AI film innovation in San Jose festival
San Jose hosted the first-ever Silicon Valley AI Film Festival, a two-day event exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence, cinema and creative technology through panels, exhibitions, awards and AI-generated works.
San Jose became the site of the inaugural Silicon Valley AI Film Festival (SVAIFF) on January 10–11, bringing together filmmakers, tech innovators and creatives to explore how AI is transforming cinema and creative expression.
The event featured AI-generated film trailers, such as “Revolutionary” and “Cosmic,” as well as panel discussions on industry trends and the economic implications of AI in film, and a competition that received over 2,000 entries.
Festival co-founder Cynthia Jiang highlighted how production companies are increasingly using AI in post-production and concept development, while acknowledging resistance remains among some traditional filmmakers.
Human and AI-assisted art appeared throughout the festival, including fashion shows that blended robotics with runway models and featured a humanoid robot performer.
The festival also celebrated creative achievements with awards, such as the Grand Prix for ‘White Night Lake’ and Best Animated Short for ‘A Tree’s Imagination.’ It premiered the feature-length film ‘The Wolves,’ directed by Bing He, who credited generative AI with enabling his vision without replacing his writing role.
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