On 12th May, the International Casting Directors Association (ICDA) officially launched its new guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence in casting during the Festival de Cannes, to address the growing ethical, creative, and professional challenges posed by the increasing use of AI within the casting industry.
Developed in response to the rapid expansion of AI technologies across film, television, and other media, the guidelines aim to establish clear ethical and professional standards for the use of AI within casting processes and digital casting platforms. As AI tools increasingly shape creative workflows, the ICDA seeks to create a framework that protects artistic integrity, safeguards performers and casting professionals, and ensures that technology supports, rather than replaces, human creative expertise.
The guidelines address a range of pressing concerns surrounding the use of AI in casting, including transparency, consent, data protection, bias, and discrimination. They also reaffirm the central role of casting directors in the creative process and oppose the use of AI systems designed to bypass professional casting expertise or automate creative decision-making.
While recognising the potential benefits of AI as a supportive production tool, the ICDA’s position is clear: Casting must remain a fundamentally human-centred process rooted in creative collaboration, professional judgement, and ethical responsibility.
These guidelines are not anti-technology,” said Lana Veenker, President of the ICDA. “They are about ensuring that innovation develops responsibly and in partnership with the people whose creativity, expertise, and livelihoods are directly affected by these technologies. AI can be a valuable tool, but it must never replace human insight, intuition, and artistic judgement.
The guidelines are now publicly available on the ICDA website and are intended to serve as a living document that will continue to evolve alongside technological and industry developments.
The initiative has already received support from leading industry organisations and ICDA’s trusted infrastructure partners Filmmakers Europe and Spotlight, both of which have endorsed the guidelines and aligned themselves with the ICDA’s vision for a responsible and ethical approach to AI within the casting community.
Filmmakers Europe was built together with Casting Directors explicitly for their needs in professional casting,” said Dr. David Zitzlsperger, CEO of Filmmakers Europe. “To ensure AI supports Casting Directors in their work and does not bypass them, we actively shape how these technologies are responsibly used in casting and welcome the clear position of the ICDA on responsible AI.
Spotlight welcomes the ICDA’s work on AI and these new guidelines, which represent a vital step in safeguarding the creative and ethical integrity of the casting process,” added Matt Hood, Managing Director of Spotlight. “As technology continues to evolve at pace, it is essential that everyone in the industry, from platforms and producers to performers, casting directors, and agents, engages in open, transparent discussions about the role AI will play in our future. We believe that innovation should empower the industry, not undermine the human expertise that is its foundation.
ICDA is also engaging with national and international casting director organisations and industry partners to encourage wider adoption and collective industry standards. The Bundesverband Casting (Germany), l’Association des Directeur.rice.s de Casting (France), the Casting Directors Guild (UK), the Unione Italiana Casting Directors (Italy), the Asociación Profesional de Dirección de Casting de España (Spain), the Polish Casting Directors Guild, Casting Directors of Sweden, the Dutch Casting Society, the Verband Österreichischer Casting Directors (Austria), the Casting Guild of Australia, and the Casting Directors Society of Canada have already voiced their strong support, with more endorsements flowing in. ICDA believes that broad collaboration across the sector is essential to ensuring that technological innovation strengthens, rather than undermines, the creative and human foundations of film and television production.
To have the enthusiastic endorsement of not only Spotlight and Filmmakers, two of the most important casting platforms in Europe, but also a broad coalition of casting directors, demonstrates the need for standards to preserve the creative process, uphold the rights and dignity of performers and casting professionals, and promote the responsible use of technology.
Lana Veenker, President, ICDA
The International Casting Directors Association (ICDA) is a global organisation that represents leading casting director professionals from around the world, advocating for the integrity, creativity, and ethical standards of the casting profession. Through collaboration, industry dialogue, and professional exchange, the ICDA works to protect and strengthen the role of casting directors within the film industry and across borders. More information at https://the-icda.com.
