The Synthetic Frontier: Sundance's Strategic Pivot to AI Amid a Divided Industry
Published: January 10, 2026
Duration: 10:32
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The Sundance Film Festival has officially institutionalized its focus on artificial intelligence for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, introducing formalized 'Interest Tracks' like 'Test Your Tech' and the 'Sundance Institute AI Interdisciplinary Initiative.' This move signals a transition from treating AI as an experimental novelty in the 'New Frontier' section to acknowledging it as a pervasive, foundational tool across all cinematic categories, from documentary to dramatic competition. However, this debut arrives during a period of peak industry volatility following the historic WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which were largely fought over AI protections, creating a palpable...