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Ava DuVernay says AI was used to animate public-domain photographs in her documentary 14th, not to fabricate people or make them appear to say things they never said. The film explores the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment and the fight over birthright citizenship.

DuVernay told The Hollywood Reporter that the animation was intended to bring viewers closer to the period shown. The film is due for a limited cinema run from 27 November, followed by Netflix streaming from 4 December. It’s a specific, useful example in the debate over AI in documentary: the argument turns on what the tool did, and how clearly viewers are told.

Discuss: Should AI-assisted animation of historical photographs be treated like other post-production tools, or disclosed as a distinct creative choice?

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