It is an institution that plays a crucial role in financing the seventh art in France. The National Center for Cinema and Animated Images (CNC) “will very soon modify its rules” to protect creation in the face of artificial intelligence (AI), the Minister of Culture, Catherine Pégard, announced this Saturday.
“Creation is not reuse, it is an act of innovation, which by definition is often nourished by confrontation, by breaking with old forms,” declared the person concerned during a meeting with actors from the world of French cinema, on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival.
“Artificial intelligence is a tool. It can accelerate, facilitate and enrich the production of films. But a work is a look, it is an intention, it is feelings. (…) This is why the CNC will very soon modify the rules relating to this aid, to guarantee respect for a simple principle, helping human creation,” indicated the minister.
Promote “respect for human creation”
The CNC “will not help tomorrow a work which does not have an author”, specifies Catherine Pégard, adding that for dubbing, “only human interpretation can be supported”.
For the septuagenarian, it is not a question of “prohibiting the use of artificial intelligence in works.” “We will not support works where AI replaces the creator, instead of providing him with additional tools. Respect for human creation applies to the sharing of value as well as to the protection of employment,” continues the minister who was to meet her European counterparts in Cannes on Saturday to address the subject of the protection of works.
The CNC has a budget of more than 800 million euros per year and contributes greatly to the financing of the 7th art as well as the entire audiovisual sector.
In France, broadcasters (television channels and platforms) are forced to devote part of their turnover to financing national productions.
