Everyone in Hollywood and Silicon Valley is talking about AI in filmmaking. They’re all wrong.
I’ve sat in enough boardrooms, heard enough pitches, and invested in enough AI startups—over 180 of them, including giants like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Scale AI—to tell you that most of what you’re hearing is noise. It’s a distraction from what’s actually happening. People are obsessed with new features, more plugins, and fancier generative models. They think the secret is in the tech. It’s not.
The strategies that got you by last year are already obsolete. The game has changed. And I’m here to give you the cheat sheet for how to win in 2026. This isn’t about some magical new software. It’s about a fundamental shift in mindset. It’s about understanding the data, knowing where the puck is going, and having the guts to skate there.
I’ve seen this movie before. When I sold my first company, MovieLaLa, to Gfycat, everyone was focused on vanity metrics. When I sold my second, RemoteTeam, to Gusto, the world was just waking up to the power of distributed work. In both cases, the winners were the ones who saw past the hype and focused on the underlying value. The same is true for AI in filmmaking today.
So, let’s cut through the crap. Here’s the data-backed truth that separates the amateurs from the pros.
AI Writing: Your Script is Now a Dataset
For decades, the screenplay has been a sacred document. A piece of art. And it still is. But it’s also something more now: a dataset. The most successful writers I see are the ones who are treating their scripts like a product manager treats a new feature. They’re using AI not to write for them, but to analyze, iterate, and optimize.
Think about it. You can now feed your script into an AI and get instant feedback on pacing, character arcs, and dialogue. You can A/B test different plot points. You can see how your story stacks up against thousands of other successful films. This isn’t about replacing the writer’s intuition. It’s about augmenting it with data.
I remember when I was starting out, I would have killed for this kind of feedback. I’d spend months on a script, only to have it rejected by a studio exec who had a “feeling” it wouldn’t work. Now, you can de-risk your story before you even write the first scene. You can go into that pitch meeting with data that proves your story resonates with audiences. That’s a powerful advantage.
But here’s the catch: you have to be willing to let go of your ego. You have to be willing to treat your art like a science. The writers who are winning are the ones who are embracing this new reality. They’re not afraid to experiment, to fail, and to learn from the data. They’re the ones who are creating the next generation of blockbusters.
AI Journalism: The End of the Gatekeepers
The news industry is in a state of chaos. And AI is only going to accelerate that. But out of chaos comes opportunity. For too long, a handful of powerful media companies have controlled the flow of information. They’ve decided what stories get told and who gets to tell them. That era is over.
With AI, anyone can be a journalist. You can use AI to research topics, to fact-check information, and to generate articles in minutes. You can create your own news network, with a global reach, from your laptop. This is a massive shift in power, from the institutions to the individual.
I’ve always been a believer in the power of the individual. It’s why I wrote “Becoming Top 1%.” It’s why I’ve invested in so many solo founders. And it’s why I’m so bullish on the future of AI-powered journalism. The gatekeepers are losing their grip. The playing field is being leveled. And the winners will be the ones who are the most nimble, the most creative, and the most authentic.
Of course, there are risks. Misinformation is a real threat. But the answer is not to try and put the genie back in the bottle. The answer is to empower individuals with the tools they need to be responsible creators. To teach them how to use AI ethically. And to build a more decentralized, more democratic media ecosystem.
AI Animation: From Months to Minutes
Animation has always been a labor-intensive process. It can take months, even years, to create a single animated film. But with AI, that’s all changing. You can now generate high-quality animation in a fraction of the time, for a fraction of the cost.
This is a game-changer for independent creators. You no longer need a massive studio and a team of hundreds of animators to bring your vision to life. You can do it yourself, with a laptop and an internet connection. This is going to unleash a tsunami of creativity. We’re going to see stories being told that would have never been possible before.
I’m already seeing this in my portfolio. I’ve invested in a number of startups that are building the tools for this new generation of animators. And the work they’re producing is blowing me away. It’s personal, it’s unique, and it’s pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
This is not to say that traditional animation is dead. There will always be a place for the artistry and craftsmanship of hand-drawn animation. But AI is opening up a whole new world of possibilities. It’s democratizing the medium. And it’s putting the power back in the hands of the creators.
AI Filmmaking: The Director as a Conductor
So what does all this mean for the future of filmmaking? It means the role of the director is changing. The director is no longer just a storyteller. They’re a conductor. They’re orchestrating a symphony of AI tools and human talent.
Think about it. You can use AI to generate storyboards, to cast actors, to scout locations, and to edit your film. You can create entire virtual worlds, with photorealistic characters and environments. The possibilities are endless.
But with great power comes great responsibility. The directors who will succeed in this new era are the ones who have a clear vision. Who know how to use these tools to serve the story. And who understand that technology is only a means to an end.
I’ve seen too many filmmakers get lost in the technology. They become so obsessed with the latest and greatest AI tools that they forget what they’re trying to say. They forget that at the end of the day, it’s all about connecting with an audience on an emotional level.
The best filmmakers will be the ones who can strike the right balance. Who can embrace the power of AI without losing their humanity. Who can use technology to create films that are not only visually stunning, but also deeply moving and meaningful.
AI Music: The Sound of the Future
Music is the soul of a film. It’s what gives it its emotional core. And with AI, we’re on the verge of a musical revolution. You can now generate original, high-quality music in any style, in a matter of seconds. You can create a score that is perfectly tailored to the mood and pacing of your film.
This is an incredible tool for filmmakers. It gives you an infinite palette of sounds to work with. It allows you to experiment and to find the perfect music to tell your story. And it’s going to lead to a whole new level of creativity in film scoring.
But it’s not just about generating music. It’s also about how we interact with it. With AI, you can create adaptive scores that change in real-time, based on the viewer’s emotions. You can create personalized soundtracks that are unique to each individual. This is going to completely change the way we experience music in film.
I’m incredibly excited about the future of AI in music. I think we’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible. And I can’t wait to see what the next generation of composers and filmmakers will create.
The Takeaway
So there you have it. The ultimate cheat sheet for AI-powered filmmaking in 2026. It’s not about the features. It’s not about the hype. It’s about a fundamental shift in how we create, how we consume, and how we think about media.
The winners of tomorrow will be the ones who embrace this change. Who are not afraid to experiment. Who are willing to learn from the data. And who never lose sight of the fact that at the end of the day, it’s all about telling a great story.
I’ve bet my career on it. And I’m more confident than ever that the future belongs to the creators. The ones who have the courage to be different. The ones who have the vision to see what’s next. And the ones who have the hustle to make it happen.
Now go build something amazing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What experience informs this perspective?
This perspective comes from over a decade of building companies in Silicon Valley, two successful exits (RemoteTeam to Gusto, MovieLaLa to Gfycat), and investing in 200+ startups including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Scale AI. I write about what I've lived.
What's the most common pushback you get on this?
People often push back by citing exceptions or edge cases. And they're usually right that exceptions exist. But building a strategy around exceptions rather than patterns is a losing game for most founders.
How can I apply this thinking to my own situation?
Start by identifying the core principle behind the opinion, not the specific example. Then ask yourself: does this principle apply to my context? If yes, test it in a small, low-risk way before going all in.