Hollywood's AI Bet Isn't Paying Off

Hollywood is struggling to make successful films and media centered on or utilizing artificial intelligence. Several high-profile movies in 2025, like M3GAN 2.0 and Mission: Impossible -- The Final Reckoning, underperformed despite focusing on AI themes. Disney's ambitious Tron: Ares also disappointed audiences and failed to meet expectations at the box office. The trend continues into 2026 with films like Mercy, which has already received negative reviews and lackluster ticket sales. AI-generated content is also facing heavy criticism. The YouTube series On This Day...1776, using Google DeepMind, suffered ridicule due to unnatural visuals. Viewer reactions were extremely negative regarding the uncanny faces and poor rendering of elements. A recent Taika Waititi-directed Xfinity commercial has also been criticized for its reliance on AI de-aging technology. The de-aging effect in the commercial, featuring Jurassic Park stars, has been widely mocked for its poor quality. This pattern suggests a lack of audience enthusiasm for AI-driven entertainment and content. Overall, Hollywood's AI ventures are frequently failing to resonate with audiences, resulting in significant setbacks.