Young Washington director explains why AI was used—and what everyone got wrong

written by Craig Ellison

July 3, 2026 4:54 pm

Young Washington director explains why AI was used—and what everyone got wrong — Image credit: Google Veo 3

Young Washington director Jon Erwin is leaning hard into AI, calling it a safer, more affordable way to make movies. In a new Variety interview, he breaks down how the tech shaped the production — and why the choice is stirring debate.

Right then, here's one you probably didn't have on your 2026 filmmaking bingo card: Jon Erwin, the director behind the new historical drama Young Washington, has been very open about using artificial intelligence in ways that'll raise a few eyebrows among film purists. We're not just talking the odd digital touch-up here—Erwin's approach has kicked off a full-on debate about where the line is when it comes to tech in movies.

AI, Ice Rivers, and a Lot Less Freezing Than You'd Think

So, let's get into it. There's a scene in Young Washington where George Washington and his crew are meant to be nearly drowning in a river absolutely packed with ice. Rather than dumping his cast into freezing water—or calling in stunt doubles for a chilly day out—Erwin took a different route. The team built a 50-foot swimming pool, chucked in a load of artificial ice, then used generative AI to blow it up into something much grander than the real location. All this, without ever leaving Ireland, where they shot the film.

Erwin explained it like this:

'The actors were there, the raft was there, the water was there, but the water wasn’t cold. It was a very small area that we were able to film it in, and we just mapped it to a much larger area, and I think that’s a great example of the use case of these tools to make something safer and more affordable in that scope to a project like this, and that way we didn’t have to leave Ireland.'

Not Just a Bit of AI—A Massive Chunk

Turns out, that river scene wasn't a one-off. Erwin reckons around 100 shots in Young Washington were given an AI facelift. He pulled in tools including Luma, Amazon's Project Nara, and Magnific, with some shots made outright using AI generation. Add to that five AI-written articles and even an 'AI producer' on the crew. Yes, you read that right.

One especially odd detail: in one scene, Erwin filmed two employees—just ordinary staff—in their street clothes, then used AI to digitally throw them into British soldier uniforms, turning them into background extras for a period battle. Elsewhere, he mixed traditional VFX with the new tech. At no point, he says, did he completely ditch the old ways. 'My view on the use of these tools is: Do everything you can for real, everything you possibly can, and then use these tools to amplify your vision and give you a bigger canvas,' Erwin said. 'What I’ve learned is these tools are best used not when they replace fundamental aspects of filmmaking, but when they amplify and when they augment them.'

So How's This Gone Down?

Erwin’s tech-forward choices haven't landed smoothly with everyone. There's been a real split—audiences and critics have lined up with their complaints, and on Rotten Tomatoes, the film only managed a 61% score. If you were expecting a roaring reception, think again.

Social media user @NationOfEagles: 'It WAS Young Washington. And DO NOT watch it. I stuck around until the credits to 100% confirm and yes it does use AI generation.'
Meanwhile, @KKriegeBlog clocked in: 'I am pretty sure, from the way that the French are depicted in a couple of clips, the lighting, the movement, etc, that they are using AI. 1/5.'

Erwin, for his part, says that some people are getting ropes crossed between what was AI and what was VFX, and reckons the criticism isn't entirely fair. This isn't his first AI rodeo either: he’s previously used the tech for shows like House of David and The Old Stories: Moses, and heads up a company that's in bed with Innovative Dreams and Luma AI.