With the 79th Cannes Film Festival in full swing, one artist has taken a bold stance against the rise of generative AI. Alma Haser's Empty Red Carpet series sees iconic stars like Anya Taylor-Joy and Pedro Pascal removed from their usual glamorous positions, leaving only empty silhouettes. The aim is to highlight what she calls 'creative theft,' where AI threatens to overshadow human artistry.

The project, part of the Human Made Mark initiative, seeks to protect real people involved in film and TV productions by certifying them as genuinely human-made. Alma's work uses digital techniques combined with traditional methods like paper-folding and collage to create eerie, layered images that reflect a potential future where AI becomes dominant.

William Grave, founder of Human Made Mark, believes audiences crave authenticity over artificial intelligence. He hopes to inspire the public to choose human-made artworks, giving creators a premium for their tangible skills.

In an era where deepfakes and AI-generated content blur the lines between reality and fiction, Haser's work raises important questions about the future of creativity in film and beyond. As Joe from Creative Bloq notes, digital tools are here to stay, but human touch remains irreplaceable.