Travis Knight Warns AI Conflicts With Laika’s Stop-motion Craft
WHO:
Deadline - Travis Knight, director of *Wildwood* and CEO of Laika, spoke about generative AI and the studio’s work.
Variety - Knight discussed Hollywood’s use of AI with Variety at the U.S. premiere of *Wildwood*.
The Verge - Laika is a stop-motion studio known for *Coraline* and *ParaNorman*; more than 1,000 artists worked on *Wildwood* in some form.
Reddit Movies - A post linked to a story about Knight’s views on AI; the post was submitted by Reddit user /u/yourfavchoom.
WHAT:
Deadline - Knight called generative AI “antithetical to everything that we are at this studio” and said he hoped people would “see the danger” in the technology as well as its “value.”
Variety - Knight said, “I’m not embracing it at all,” while describing AI as “an amazing piece of technology.”
The Verge - Knight said AI-generated output lacks “soul,” “spirit,” and “humanity,” and called using artists’ material this way “theft.”
The Verge - Knight said a human story about loss, grief, or personal experience “has to come from a person”; he noted that a computer has never fallen in love, lost someone, made a terrible choice and lost a brother, or had its heart broken.
The Verge - Knight said AI could bring major benefits to medicine and science but could also be devastating; he hoped people would use it responsibly and push back against its dangers.
WHERE:
Variety - Knight spoke at the AFI Fest opening-night U.S. premiere of *Wildwood*.
The Verge - The interview with Knight took place ahead of *Wildwood*’s premiere.
WHEN:
The Verge - *Wildwood* took five years to complete.
The Verge - The article identifies October 23rd as the film’s premiere date. This is a future date relative to the specified current date.
WHY:
The Verge - Knight opposed AI doing the work of artists because he believes meaningful human stories and experiences must come from people.
The Verge - Knight said responsible stewardship is necessary because AI may disrupt society and could either benefit humanity or cause devastating effects.
HOW:
The Verge - *Wildwood* used more than 230 puppets, including 36 of its main character, Prue; a team of 49 animators brought them to life.
The Verge - Laika used puppets with diaphragms to simulate breathing, more advanced limb musculature, and more flexible materials for clothing, hair, and fur.
Variety - Knight said Laika uses technology, including computers; he described a pencil, paintbrush, 3D printer, and computer workstation as technology when placed in artists’ hands.
(UPDATED October 22, 2026 23:06 UTC)
Laika chief executive and Wildwood director Travis Knight says generative AI is fundamentally at odds with the stop-motion studio’s values. Speaking at the film’s U.S. premiere, he called AI an amazing technology but said, “I’m not embracing it at all.” Knight argued that AI-generated work lacks soul and humanity, and that using artists’ material without permission amounts to theft. He said stories about loss, grief, and heartbreak must come from people who have lived those experiences. At the same time, Knight acknowledged AI could deliver major benefits in medicine and science, while warning it could also cause devastating harm. He urged responsible use and public pushback against its dangers. More than 1,000 artists contributed to Wildwood, which took five years to complete. Its production used more than 230 puppets and a team of 49 animators. Wildwood’s premiere is October 23rd.